English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

46.1 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.
46.2
46.3 1 Living in such a confined room for a bigger kitchen and utility room.
2 The piano took up a lot of space, so we’re going to convert it into a study.
46.4 3 This office is better than the cramped space is difficult with three kids.
4 We’re moving because we’re short of room, so we sold it.
5 We demolished an old outhouse to leave conditions I used to work in.
6 The attic is a waste of space where we’re living at the moment.

Complete the second sentence using a collocation from the opposite page so that it has
the same meaning as the first sentence.

1 Einstein’s ideas significantly contributed to our understanding of the universe.
Einstein’s ideas made our understanding of the universe.
2 The hotel car park didn’t have any room, so we parked in the street.
There were no at the hotel, so we parked in the street.
3 Few people now have any clear memories of the Second World War.
The Second World War is now a .
4 We won’t have problems with our furniture as it’s a big house.
It’s a big house, so there will be for all our furniture.
5 She crossed the enormous Senoui Desert on horseback.
She crossed of the Senoui Desert on horseback.

Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using a collocation from the opposite page
based on the words in brackets.

1 It’s ten years since the agreement was signed.
(elapse)

2 I can’t see any great changes happening in the
future as far as we can imagine. (foresee)

3 Machines from an era which has long passed are the
theme of the exhibition at the city museum. (go by)

4 The event will be remembered in history as the
nation’s worst tragedy. (down)

5 Everything changes as time passes. (course)
6 In the fairly near future we can expect to be able to

travel to other planets. (distant)

Complete the crossword. Across
1 The palace was restored to its former
1 3 The events have our lives.
5 That song brings memories.
6 Many things shape the of a nation. .
7 It all happened within memory.
2

34

5 Down memory.
6 1 It was the era of Italian football.
2 My schooldays are now just a dim and
7 3 This table takes up a lot of .
4 The castle has been preserved for .
5 The cottage is a remnant of a era.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 97

47 Sound

A The human voice

Here are some brief extracts from novels, where people’s voices and speech are being described.
• Lennox noticed a trace of1 a foreign accent in the man’s voice. It was a booming2 voice, one he

had heard before, many years ago.
• Wilson watched Robert trying to fire the gun. Then, in a gruff3 voice, he said, ‘You’re useless! Bring

it here!’ Robert muttered something under his breath as he obeyed.
• Zoe met with a stony4 silence as she entered the room. It was as if everyone had lost their voice.

Nobody uttered a word5 as she walked across to the table.
• The woman spoke with a broad6 Scottish accent. She had a rather husky7 voice, which James found

attractive, but she slurred her words8 a little, as if she were too tired to talk.
• Muffled9 voices could be heard coming from the next room, but I couldn’t make out what was

being said.
• After failing to dissuade her son from leaving his job, she raised her voice angrily and shouted,

‘Okay, do it your way then!’

1 very slight 6 strong (of accents)
2 very loud 7 low and rough, often thought to be attractive
3 low, unfriendly and harsh 8 spoke unclearly, running the sounds together
4 cold and unfriendly 9 quiet and unclear
5 note, this collocation is normally

in the negative or has a negative subject

B Sounds and silence

Here are four winning entries from a student poetry competition. The theme of the competition was
‘Sound and silence’.

SOUND AND SILENCE Poetry Competition

1ST PRIZE: 2ND PRIZE:

Sasha Brokenburg Abdul Zahra

A clap1 of thunder Silence descends on Carthmore Lake.
then a deathly hush2. My heart is still.
In a soft whisper Only the distant echo of a sad cry
the wind tells the moon can be heard.
how beautiful she is.

3RD PRIZE: 4TH PRIZE:

Nuria Palomar Liu Chan

In the street below, the incessant3 noise A dull thud5 awakens me.
of trams and vans The sound travels from
of trucks and cars. the valley where it was made
But my soul makes no sound. to this place here,
Here in this darkened room where no one dares let out a cry.
silence reigns4.

1 sudden loud noise made by thunder 4 dominates
2 extreme silence, in a way that is unpleasant 5 unclear sound made when something heavy falls
3 which never stops

98 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

47.1 Read the sentences. Then answer the questions.
Despite his gruff voice, Fabrice’s boss is actually quite an approachable person.
Zara was unable to utter a word when she realised the child was injured.
Kevin spoke in a booming voice, as if he were an army sergeant.
Ilona raised her voice and angrily addressed the young man at the door.
As she entered, she could hear Joe’s husky voice addressing someone.

1  Who spoke in an extremely loud voice?
2  Who spoke in a low, rough, but perhaps attractive way?
3  Who spoke in a low, unfriendly voice?
4  Who started to speak louder than before?
5  Who found it impossible to speak?

47.2 Complete each sentence using a word from the box in the appropriate form.

descend  whisper  mutter  let  lose  make  slur  travel  utter

1 The grumpy old woman something under her breath.
2 Try not to a sound as we pass the baby’s bedroom.
3 We didn’t a single word as Harry told his sad tale.
4 The sound through the thin walls of my apartment; I hear everything.
5 The patient out a cry of pain as the doctor took her hand.
6 Silence on the hall as Mrs Traynor walked to the platform to speak.
7 The man was so ill, his voice sounded like a soft .
8 What’s the matter with you? Have you your voice? Say something!
9 Travis his words somewhat. I thought he might have been drinking.

47.3 Correct the collocation errors in these sentences.
47.4 1 I could hear a slight track of an Irish accent in her voice.
2 Paolo was met with a rocky silence as everyone tried to absorb the bad news.
3 The old woman let off a cry of anger when she heard the result of the trial.
4 She has a wide American accent, even though she was not born there.
5 The weather was terrible last night, with heavy rain and cries of thunder.
6 The voices were muttered, so I could not make out what anyone was saying.
7 Silence ruled in the classroom as the pupils were all hard at work.
8 Speak up. I hate it when you mutter something under your voice.

Replace the underlined words with their opposites to form collocations from the
opposite page.

1 The nearby echo of gunfire could be heard across the valley.
2 The intermittent noise of the planes kept me awake all night.
3 In a loud whisper she said, ‘You look wonderful tonight.’
4 I heard a sharp thud as the men dropped the heavy box on the floor above me.
5 There was a joyful hush in the room as the director broke the news.
6 Suddenly there was a murmur of thunder and it started to rain heavily.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 99

48 Making things easier

A Choosing your approach

1 possible COMPLETING A TASK – HOW TO DO IT
2 workable
When you need to work out the easiest way to do something, you have to explore
different ways of approaching the task. Sometimes there will be many feasible1
alternatives to consider and sometimes there will only be one or two viable2 options.
You need to enlist the help of people to give you advice before you decide on which
method to adopt.
The best advice is to take a step-by-step approach: break the task down into stages,
so that you are dealing with small, manageable chunks. This way you will soon find
that something you thought was hard is in fact simplicity itself 3. But be careful, don’t
always take what looks like the easy option. Think first. At the end, you can feel proud
that you didn’t just take the easy way out4.

3 extremely simple
4 do what is easiest but not what is best – which may mean avoiding doing anything at all

B Ways of remembering

Notice the collocations in this text introducing techniques for improving your memory.

WAYS OF REMEMBERING

A trained memory is an immense asset1, particularly in public life. Mnemonics are
systems we use to help us remember complex information easily, and people who use
them can recall things with an amazing degree of accuracy.

The Ancient Greeks perfected2 a number of mnemonic techniques, some
of which are still used today, for example, using the first letter of each item
to form a word that will help you remember the whole list of items. For
instance, you might remember the female first name ADA to help you recall
the phrase amazing degree of accuracy. Or you might think of the word BAG,
which will give you three colours that collocate with hair (blond, auburn,
ginger).
A simple rule of all memory training systems is the idea of ‘Initial Awareness’. This
works in a straightforward3 way. The basic principle is that the system helps you
concentrate the mind on whatever you are trying to remember for just long enough to
force Initial Awareness.
All memory training systems are perfectly simple. Once you have taken the time to
learn them, you will be able to instantly recall any new items of information you want
to, with remarkable ease. You may find it a steep learning curve4, but I assure you that
it is worth the effort.

1 something of great value 3 easy to understand or simple
2 the verb is pronounced /p fekt/ 4 something which is difficult to learn and takes a lot of effort

Tip

Do you know any mnemonic techniques to help you learn vocabulary? If possible, share
them with other students.

100 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

48.1 Answer these questions about the text in A.
48.2 1 Which alternatives is it best to focus on when considering ways of doing something?
2 What sort of options are those that could work well?
3 Which option is not always the best one to take?
4 What sort of approach can one take to make a big task more manageable?

Match words from each box to form collocations from the opposite page.

adopt concentrate enlist immense asset ease help a method the mind
instantly perfect perfectly remarkable recall rule simple a technique the time
simple take

48.3 Complete B’s responses using collocations from the opposite page.
48.4
1 A: I notice your tennis serve is much better these days.
B: Yes, I think I’ve finally the technique,
though it took months of practice.
2 A: Was the new computer easy to set up?
B: Yes, it was itself.
3 A: How did you get on in the charity race?
B: Well, I actually managed it with remarkable
, given how unfit I was!
4 A: Did it take you long to learn to fly?
B: Yes, it did! Almost a year. But it’s so amazing, it was
certainly     .
5 A: How well does the pedometer your son made at college actually work?
B: With an amazing , in fact.
6 A: I have to sort out all these old papers and I just don’t know where to start!
B: Why don’t you the task down into smaller chunks and deal with them gradually?
7 A: Do you enjoy working with collocations?
B: Well, it’s worth time to learn them as they make your language sound
so much more natural.
8 A: How did your year in China work out? Did you manage to learn any Chinese?
B: Well, it was a     , but I did manage to acquire a basic
knowledge of Mandarin.

Choose the correct collocation.

1 I always use mnemonics to help me recall important of information.
A spots  B objects  C items  D stuff
2 We all the different ways of getting home before eventually deciding to fly.
A exploded  B exploited  C explicated  D explored
3 The system works in a way.
A straightforward  B strong  C straight  D forthright
4 It’s a good idea to divide a task up into chunks.
A portable  B manageable  C edible  D thinkable
5 All memory systems work on the same basic .
A promotion  B prime  C principal  D principle

Over to you

Look at this mnemonics site: www.fun-with-words.com/mnemonics.html.
Make a note of useful ones.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 101

49 Difficulty

A Adjective + noun collocations

• Life seems to have been a constant struggle for her ever since she left home.
• When the electricity went off everyone was rushing about in a state of confusion.
• Losing the job she loved so much was a severe blow for Anna. She took it very badly.
• Our plane was cancelled because of adverse weather conditions.
• Unfortunately, after the widespread flooding came widespread looting of the properties that

had been abandoned. Meanwhile, many families remained in grave danger as the floodwaters
showed little sign of abating.

• If you continue to smoke there is a high risk of you
developing a number of serious diseases.

• Jasmine’s birthday party was a complete disaster.
She decided to invite all of her own and her sisters’
ex-boyfriends – with catastrophic results.

• Trying to work and manage a household with three
children sounds like hard work.

B Verb + noun collocations

collocation example
face a problem My grandmother faced many problems in her life.
address a problem How do you think we should address the traffic problems in our city?
tackle a problem More must be done to tackle the AIDS problem.
pose a threat Nuclear weapons pose a threat to the whole world.
carry a risk Most things that we do in life carry some degree of risk.
minimise a risk Not smoking minimises the risk of getting a whole range of illnesses.
relish a challenge Rob relishes the challenge of a new project.
hinder progress Our party believes that this country’s complex tax laws mainly serve to
hinder progress.
spot an error Terry spotted an error in the email he was about to send.
encounter difficulties Any new business is bound to encounter some initial difficulties.
deal with (the) complexities You need to maintain a positive attitude if you want to deal successfully
(of) with the complexities of life.
overcome hurdles As she was born blind she has had to overcome many extra hurdles in her
life.
fight for survival Poor people in this drought-ridden country fight for survival.
respond to an emergency The international community responded rapidly to the emergency.
disaster strikes Disaster struck the province last June, when torrential rains caused
mudslides in many areas.

Common mistakes

Remember that we make mistakes, NOT do mistakes. We usually have problems or experience
problems, just as we usually also have/experience difficulties, NOT get problems/difficulties.
We attempt to find a solution, NOT give a solution. Problems arise or occur, NOT happen, and
difficulties arise, NOT appear.

102 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

49.1 Find a collocation in A that has the opposite meaning of these collocations …
49.2
1 favourable weather conditions 4 isolated flooding
2 a magnificent success 5 slight danger
3 an easy ride 6 easy work

… and the same meaning as these collocations.

7 total confusion 10 a terrible shock
8 disastrous results 11 a total disaster
9 serious risk

Complete each sentence using a verb from the box in the appropriate form.

carry face fight hinder pose respond spot strike tackle

1 The government is doing all it can to the drug problem in our cities.
2 We had only just set off on our holiday when disaster .
3 Can you the six deliberate errors in this story?
4 The international community does not always to an emergency as promptly as
would be desirable.
5 Any new enterprise some risk of failure but that should not deter you.
6 I am afraid that Sam’s problems at home may be his progress at school.
7 If we the problems together we should find it easier to tackle them.
8 By the end of the expedition the climbers were for their very survival.
9 A man like that in a position of power a serious threat to world security.

49.3 Match each question (1–6) with its response (a–f).
1 Is Rory enjoying the challenge of his new post?
49.4 2 What can I do to minimise the risk of falling ill?
49.5 3 What made them decide to postpone the match?
4 What happened after the earthquake?
5 How can we address the climate change problem?
6 What was the hardest hurdle to overcome in your job?
a By reducing our carbon footprint.
b Widespread looting.
c Eat healthily.
d He’s relishing it.
e Gender stereotyping, probably.
f Adverse weather conditions.

Correct the collocation errors in these sentences.
1 We are getting a number of problems with our new car.
2 Some problems happened when we tried to follow your instructions.
3 Somehow our society must give a solution to the problem of child poverty.
4 A difficulty has appeared with regard to a member of our project team.
5 Even advanced students sometimes do mistakes with this type of collocation.
6 I’ve always found a lot of difficulties with English spelling.
7 A successful teacher needs to deal with the complications of learning that each student faces.

Use a dictionary such as the Cambridge Online Dictionary to find two other collocations
for each of these words.

1 encounter 2 tackle 3 pose

dictionary.cambridge.org

English Collocations in Use Advanced 103

50 Quantity and size

A Countable and uncountable expressions of quantity

The expressions in the table all mean quite a large number or amount.

collocation example comment
a good/fair few A good few students are likely to get a (informal) used with countable
first-class degree. nouns
a good/fair number We spent a good number of weeks (informal) used with countable
planning the project. nouns
a substantial/significant A significant number of people pledged (formal) used with countable
number their support. nouns
a substantial/significant We took a significant quantity of (formal) used with uncountable
quantity provisions with us. nouns
a substantial/significant He’ll get a substantial amount of (formal) used with uncountable
amount money when his father dies. nouns

B Other expressions about size and quantity
We couldn’t believe the sheer quantity of food on the table. [the surprisingly large amount]
There’s only a finite number of days until the exam. [limited number]
The room is a good size. [quite large]
A teacher needs to possess unbounded enthusiasm as well
as infinite patience and an endless supply of
good jokes.
They charge astronomical fees for the course. [very high]
We had a bumper crop of tomatoes last year and I gave
masses away to our neighbours. [informal; very large crop]
Unemployment reached epic proportions and this led to
social instability.
The rock star died from a massive overdose of barbiturates.
An overwhelming majority of the population are in favour of I was amazed by the sheer size
reform. of his office.

I visited a lot of different relatives yesterday and drank an inordinate amount of tea.
Try to use a wide range of vocabulary in your essay.
There is a wide variety/choice of things to do here in the evenings.
The new maths teacher is an unknown quantity. I hope she’ll get on well with the students.
[a person or thing whose characteristics are not yet clear]

C Common errors

There are a number of errors often made by learners when talking about quantity or size.

correct word(s) collocates with ... wrong word(s)
small minority, amount, number, quantity, percentage little
large quantity, amount, number, majority great, big, high
large, high percentage great
great importance, significance high, big

104 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

50.1 Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets.
1 We had a large number of apples from our trees last year.
50.2
50.3 (bumper)
50.4 2 A lot of their income comes from the apartments they rent

out. (substantial)
3 I feel confident that quite a few people will vote for Mac.

(number)
4 Sofia’s room at college is quite big. (good)
5 We don’t have an unlimited number of tickets, so we’re

offering them on a first-come-first-served basis. (finite)
6 I was terrified when I saw how big the dog was. (sheer)
7 I still don’t know what my new colleague is like. (Quantity)
8 There were rather a lot of careless mistakes in your homework.

(fair)

Complete each sentence using a word from the opposite page.

1 The Green Party won the election with an overwhelming . .
2 He did not realise how strong the tablets were and died of a massive .
3 Some lawyers are known to charge astronomical .
4 The government didn’t take action until inflation had reached epic .
5 I have a profound admiration for your sister’s infinite . .
6 We didn’t have many plums last year but this year we enjoyed a bumper
7 Paul doesn’t really like coffee but I drink a substantial .
8 There never used to be any nightclubs here but now there are a good

Match the two parts of these collocations from the opposite page.

1 unbounded quantity
2 bumper amount
3 astronomical enthusiasm
4 infinite patience
5 fair fees
6 endless few
7 inordinate supply
8 sheer crop

Put a tick in the box if the collocation is possible.

minority majority amount number percentage quantity importance significance

small
little
large
great
big
high
wide

50.5 Use a dictionary such as the Cambridge Online Dictionary to find two other collocations
for each of these words.

1 infinite 2 epic 3 overwhelming 4 endless 5 massive

dictionary.cambridge.org

English Collocations in Use Advanced 105

51 Change

A Collocations with change as a noun

There have been dramatic changes in the climate of the Arctic region in the last decade.
[very sudden or noticeable changes]
The government is proposing fundamental changes to the laws on marriage and divorce.
[basic changes, and more important than anything else]
There was a radical change in party policy in 2013. [great or extreme change]
The new manager made sweeping changes to the way the company was run. [change
affecting many people/things]
Let’s go swimming this morning instead of running. It would make a change. [be pleasantly
different to one’s usual routine]
Read the teacher’s comments on your essays, then make any necessary changes.
The changes in the system will be implemented soon. [will be put into operation/practice]
The change in the electoral system came about because of widespread public protest.
Many changes had taken place in my home town – and not always for the better.

B Collocations with change as a verb, adjective or adverb

Things can change dramatically, fundamentally or radically but NOT sweepingly.
Pronunciation changes imperceptibly over the years. [changes so slowly that you hardly notice it]
In the ten years since our last meeting, Irena had changed beyond recognition. [changed
so much one couldn’t recognise her]
If we call someone a changed man/woman we mean that he or she has changed for the better.
Life in the village remained unchanged for centuries. [formal: stayed the same]
Some people are much better than others at adapting to changing circumstances.

C Other ways of talking about change

example comment

The hotel had undergone a also undergo a revival
transformation since our last stay.

The exchange rate has been fluctuating = going up and down in an unpredictable way (also used
wildly over the last few days. with temperature(s) and share prices)

We have had a modest increase in also a modest improvement, modest gain, modest
students enrolling on our courses. recovery, where modest = slight or small

There has been a sudden shift in public also a dramatic shift
opinion in favour of the ban on smoking.

Amy’s work shows considerable one opposite might be: There is room for improvement
improvement. in her work.

Our children’s lives were turned upside- = changed dramatically, usually for the worse
down when we moved.

Elderly people sometimes find it difficult = keep up with changes and adapt to them
to move with the times.

Common mistakes

Profits show an increase/decrease and show an upward / a
downward trend, NOT have an increase, etc.
Figures increase dramatically or significantly, NOT increase strongly.

106 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

51.1 Answer these questions about the collocations on the opposite page.
51.2 1 What is the opposite of:
a)  to change imperceptibly   b)  to cancel planned changes
2 Which of these words suggest major changes and which minor changes?
a) dramatic  b) slight  c) fundamental  d) superficial  e) radical
3 Which is the more formal alternative in each pair?
a)  The town remains unchanged. The town is the same.
b)  Over the years the school has changed a lot.

Over the years many changes have taken place in the school.
4 If someone says Emma is a changed woman, do they approve of the change in Emma?
5 Is it easier for a young person or an elderly person to adapt to changing circumstances?
6 If someone says ‘It made a nice change going out for a meal last night’, what changed –

the fact that they went out, or the restaurant they went to?

Complete each sentence using a word from the box in the appropriate form.

dramatic make implement increase recognise
show times turn undergo wild

1 The figures a dramatic increase in the number of women in paid
employment in the 1940s.
2 My grandmother loves her ebook reader and her smartphone – she has no problem moving
with the .
3 I can’t face moving house again – I don’t want to have my life
upside-down another time.
4 The pop music of the 1980s seems to be a bit of a revival.
5 The weather’s been odd this month – temperatures have fluctuated .
6 We have experienced a modest in profits this year.
7 I some changes to the document but forgot to save them!
8 I think you’ll find that the school has changed beyond .
9 The new leader promised that things would change and for the better.
10 When are they planning to the changes to the school curriculum?

51.3 Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets.
1 Your coursework assignment is still not quite as good as it should be. (room)
2 Public attitudes towards the issue of capital punishment suddenly changed. (shift)
3 There were several changes in our management structure last year. (place)
4 The school programme has changed a lot since I was a pupil here. (sweeping)
5 Some quite significant changes took place last year. (came)
6 Penny has been much nicer since she got the job she wanted. (changed)
7 My life changed dramatically when I lost my job. (turned)
8 It’d be nice to do something different and stay

in a hotel rather than go camping this
summer. (change)

Over to you

Go to www.bbc.co.uk and search for ‘climate
change’. Click on one of the items, read it
and make a note of any collocations relating
to change that you find in it.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 107

52 Stopping and starting

A Stopping

example comment

The accident brought traffic to a halt for several hours. often used about transport (trains, etc.)

The union called a halt to the strike after 21 days. = prevent something from continuing
(e.g. military action, protests, etc.)

The chair brought the meeting to a close at 5 pm. often used about discussions

The new teacher soon put a stop to bad behaviour used about unpopular activities or habits
in the class. (e.g. crime, antisocial activities)

They terminated his contract since he failed to meet formal; also terminate a pregnancy
his sales targets.

The government may abandon their policy on ID also abandon an attempt to do something
cards.

Police called off the search as darkness fell. = cancelled; also call off a match or other
sports event

The council have closed off the street while repairs are = block the entrance of a street to stop
being carried out there. people and vehicles entering it

Wait until there is a lull in the conversation, then we = a pause; also lull in the fighting (in a
can leave. military conflict)

B Starting

As dawn broke we set off up the mountain. [as the sun first appeared]
Jasmine suddenly broke into song. [started singing]
William broke into a run when he saw the bus leaving. [started running]
The rain set in for the day. [it started and seemed likely to continue]
The smoke set off the fire alarm.
Customs have instigated measures to deal with illegal immigration. [formal: introduced]
The chairperson made some opening remarks, then others entered into the discussion.

C News headlines

VIOLENCE SPARKS FEARS1 OF FURTHER UNREST MINISTER ALLAYS FEARS6
OF TAX INCREASE

PEACE PROCESS TALKS COLLAPSE2 ARMY QUELLS UNREST7 ON BORDER

STADIUM FINALLY NEARS COMPLETION3 NEW REPUBLIC BREAKS
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
STAR DISPELS RUMOURS4 OF DIVORCE WITH NEIGHBOURS
SINGER CLEARS UP CONFUSION5
ABOUT LYRICS 1 makes people worry about
2 come to an unsuccessful conclusion
3 is almost finished
4 makes a statement to end the rumours
5 ends confusion
6 stops people worrying about
7 stops disturbances

108 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

52.1 Look at A. Which word fits in both sentences in each pair?
52.2
1 The minister may be forced to her policy on constitutional reform.
The climbers had to their attempt to reach the summit because of
bad weather.
2 During a in the fighting, aid workers were able to get food to people in need.
Have something ready to say in case there is a in the conversation.
3 I think we should the meeting to a close now.
Did the demonstration the traffic to a halt?
4 It’s time the union a halt to the industrial action.
The college off the match because of the bad weather.

Match the beginning of each sentence (1–8) with its ending (a–h).
1 I’m afraid it was me burning the toast that set
2 As soon as she saw her mother the little girl broke
3 Because of the President’s visit, they’ve closed
4 I didn’t manage to fall asleep until dawn
5 I hope they won’t decide to terminate
6 The missing child was found, so the police called
7 The school is planning to instigate some
8 We were halfway up the mountain when the rain

52.3 a the contract.
52.4 b off the smoke alarm.
c anti-bullying measures.
d off the area.
e set in.
f into a run.
g off their search.
h was breaking.

Match each topic of a newspaper article to the most likely headline in C.
1 There was a disagreement about what a particular song was about.
2 A problem between two neighbouring countries is solved by military means.
3 A country recalls its ambassador from another country.
4 Two countries at war fail to reach agreement.
5 People are beginning to worry that there will be more disturbances.
6 A celebrity denies that her marriage is over.
7 Some sports facilities will soon be ready for use.
8 The government promises that rumours are untrue.

Choose the correct collocation.
1 First I’d like to make a few beginning / opening / starting remarks.
2 I’m not going to enter / bring / come into any further discussion of the issue.
3 I hope I can manage to collapse / staunch / allay your fears.
4 I wish we could put a close / stop / halt to the redevelopment plans.
5 I love it when she sparks / clears / breaks into song as she prepares our meal.
6 We must do something to close off / dispel / break off the rumours about us.
7 The guards soon managed to quell / collapse / allay the unrest at the prison.
8 At long last the building is nearing finish / termination / completion.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 109

53 Cause and effect

A Collocations with cause and effect

We have yet to establish the cause of this latest outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.
Mass unemployment is believed to be the root cause1 of the riots.
The research team thinks that a virus is the primary cause2 of this type of cancer.
The President said it would take time for the reforms to produce the desired effect.
It is likely to be some weeks before we feel the full effect of the rise in interest rates.
This morning’s delays to flights have had a knock-on effect3 on departures all day.
The children involved in the hijack are not expected to suffer any long-term ill effects4.

1 origin 3 indirect result (NOT make an effect)
2 main cause 4 negative results (Note that ill here means bad rather than sick)

B Other words meaning cause

example meaning

The advertising campaign didn’t produce the results we hoped for. lead to the results

The Finance Minister’s decision to raise income tax provoked caused a lot of public anger
an outcry.

If teachers show favouritism, it breeds resentment. makes others feel angry and
unhappy

Mary didn’t believe the rumours about her boss but they planted made her feel uncertain
doubts in her mind.

The film star’s photo prompted speculation that she may be caused people to suspect
pregnant.

Email rendered the fax machine obsolete. caused to be no longer used

If you want to make an insurance claim, you can set the wheels in make something start to
motion by filling in this form. happen

This wind will wreak havoc with my flowers! cause a lot of damage to

Our new neighbours are so noisy, it’s enough to drive anyone informal, make angry and
crazy! upset

The strike could spell disaster for the country. cause serious problems

C Talking about reasons and consequences

Mr Ball: Why did Jack behave so badly in class? There must have been some
compelling reason1 surely. He must have known there’d be dire
consequences2.

M iss Cane: I don’t know. I think his parents’ financial problems might be a contributing
factor but he refused to give me a reason. Anyway, I sent him to the
headteacher and I’m sure she’ll demand an explanation.

Mr Ball: Yes, she’ll certainly make him face the consequences of his actions!

1 very powerful reason   2 very serious consequences

110 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

53.1 Match the beginning of each sentence with its ending.
53.2
1 I think that computers will eventually render havoc in low-lying areas.
53.3 2 The preliminary meeting set the wheels an outcry from the staff.
53.4 3 Her mother calling her sister ‘the pretty one’ bred speculation that he is unwell.
53.5 4 I always suspected the new tax law would spell a positive result.
5 I’m sure that your hard work will produce us crazy.
6 The boss’s decision to cut wages provoked disaster for the economy.
7 The way he behaved last night planted a lot of resentment in her.
8 The minister’s absence has prompted of the new project in motion.
9 The uncertainty of the situation is driving books obsolete.
10 The floods last week wrought doubts in my mind about his honesty.

Complete each sentence using a word from the opposite page. The first letters are
given for you.

1 Henry’s mother d an explanation for his extraordinary behaviour.
2 Fortunately the consequences were not as d as we had anticipated.
3 Now I dread having to f the consequences of my over-hasty decision to
hand in my notice.
4 Do you have any c reason for wanting to invite Zoë to come too?
5 When I asked the doctor why I felt so exhausted, he said that stress might be a
c factor.
6 Can you give me any sensible r why we should do something so risky?
7 Unfortunately, the sleeping pills she’s taking are not having the d effect.
8 The hurricane has w havoc along the Florida coast.
9 I suspect that the journalist deliberately wanted to p doubts in his
readers’ minds about the effectiveness of the recent security measures.

Order the words to form sentences.
1 the / next / nearly / crazy. / dust / site / building / The / me / is / from / driving / door
2 them / will / time / establish / of / It / a / the / the / take / cause / long / accident. / to
3 motion / If / now, / your / week. / things / we / next / visa / ready / should / set / in / be
4 out / customer / produced / results. / The / survey / company / surprising / carried /

which / the / some

Answer these questions.
1 What is the desired effect of any medication?
2 Is a knock-on effect usually welcomed or not?
3 Which other collocation in A has a similar meaning to primary cause?
4 If a dentist gives you a local anaesthetic injection, how long does it usually take before you feel

the full effect of the injection?
5 Do you think society has suffered any ill effects as the result of the invention of television?
6 Can you name an invention that has been rendered obsolete by new technology?

Use a dictionary such as the Cambridge Online Dictionary to find collocations with (a) cause
and (b) effect. Write four sentences for each word.

dictionary.cambridge.org

English Collocations in Use Advanced 111

54 Describing groups and amounts

A Groups of animals

When we describe a group of animals, the word we use depends on the animals we are talking
about. So, we talk about a pack of dogs, hounds or wolves but a herd of cattle and elephants
(and other large herbivorous mammals). We say a swarm of bees/locusts (and other flying
insects) but we say a flock of birds and also a flock of sheep. Other more unusual examples
include a pride of lions, a shoal or school of fish or sardines (or other specific small fish), a pod
of dolphins or whales, a troop of monkeys or baboons.

B Feelings and behaviour

Here are some collocations using ‘amount’ words relating to feelings and behaviour. Note that
the further collocations listed in the third column do not all relate to feelings or behaviour.

example comment further collocations
There was a flurry of activity Flurry suggests a a flurry of interest/excitement/
as the children fetched their sudden, short period of speculation/snow
paints. interest or activity.
I didn’t detect even a flicker of Flicker suggests a brief a flicker of hope/interest
emotion in his cold eyes. expression of emotion.
The company’s figures are Glimmer suggests a a glimmer of interest/light/
beginning to offer a glimmer of faint indication of understanding
hope for the future. something.
There was a touch of sadness Touch suggests a small a touch of humour/irony
in her voice as she told us her amount of something. a touch of class = sophistication
news.
I’ve experienced the whole Gamut means the entire collocates very strongly with emotions,
gamut of emotions from range of something. though it can also be used about colours
joy to sorrow. or musical notes
Inviting José to join our project A stroke of means a a stroke of luck; he never does a stroke
team was a stroke of genius. bit of. of work (always used with the negative)

C Food

MES ENT U 1 t hick slice (of cheese,
bread or meat)
soup freshly made soup of the day, with a hunk1
garlic of bread 2 o ne piece taken from
chicken (Six cloves2 of garlic in every helping!) served a head of garlic
apple pie on a bed of rice or with baked potato and a
knob of butter3 3 small lump of butter
served with a generous dollop of cream4 4 large spoonful of

jam or cream
5 small amount of liquid
6 s mall amount of herb

or spice

To finish, try our speciality coffee with a drop of brandy,
a dash5 of cream and a sprinkling6 of cinnamon on top.

112 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

54.1 Look at A. Which creature in each group has a different group word?
54.2
1 birds, bees, flies 4 whales, dolphins, fish
54.3 2 zebras, cattle, wasps 5 elephants, baboons, monkeys
54.4 3 sardines, sheep, birds 6 wolves, lions, dogs

Complete the answers to the questions using words from the opposite page.

1 A: What have the stock exchanges been like this morning?
B: Well, there was a of activity first thing but it’s quietened down now.
2 A: Would you like your coffee black or white?
B: Can I have just a of milk, please?
3 A: (on the phone) What’s the weather like with you?
B: Cold! There was even a of snow here this morning.
4 A: Do you think it was a good idea to write our new advert in verse?
B: It was brilliant, a of genius! Everyone’s talking about it.
5 A: Do I need to do anything more to finish off the sauce?
B: Add a of brandy and a of herbs and it’ll be perfect.
6 A: What do the critics say about the film?
B: The Times critic says it takes viewers through the whole of emotions.
7 A: Shall we have our picnic here?
B: No, look at that of ants. Let’s go a bit further.
8 A: Do you think the pupils enjoyed the lecture?
B: Well, I saw an occasional of interest but it didn’t last.
9 A: Do you think she knows what’s going on?
B: I thought there was a of understanding in her eyes but I’m not sure.

Which is bigger? 3 a head of garlic; a clove of garlic
1 a dash of cream; a dollop of cream 4 100 g of butter; a knob of butter
2 a slice of bread; a hunk of bread

Match words from each box to form collocations.

a bed a drop a flurry of brandy of colours of fish
gamut a glimmer a pack of hope of hounds of humour
a pod a shoal a touch of rice of speculation of whales

54.5 Here are some more ‘group’ or ‘amount’ words. Complete each sentence using a word
from the box. You will need to use some of the words twice. Use a dictionary if necessary.
dictionary.cambridge.org
grain pack pad pinch suite swig torrent

1 Pass me that of paper, please. I need to write some thank-you letters.
2 I think his story was just a of lies without even a of truth in it.
3 The film star is staying in a of rooms at the Grosvenor Hotel.
4 I’d like to play patience. Have you got a of cards?
5 The speaker was met with a of abuse.
6 Sometimes Ian doesn’t seem to possess even a of common sense.
7 Don’t forget to add a of salt.
8 I’m so thirsty. Could I have a of lemonade?

English Collocations in Use Advanced 113

55 Comparing and contrasting

A Comparing two places

Emily has been offered two different jobs. The jobs are fundamentally
similar but they are in different towns – Alton and Belville. The two
towns bear very little resemblance to1 each other. Alton is a small
town by the sea; Belville is entirely different as it is a large industrial
town. Alton is a beautiful old town which attracts a lot of tourists. This
is in marked contrast to Belville, which is a rather ugly town. There is
a wide variation in the cost of accommodation in the two towns.
There is also a world of difference in the entertainment on offer in
the two places. Because there is a clear distinction between the types of people who live in
each place – there are far more young people in Belville – there is a yawning gap2 between
what the cinemas and theatres show. Belville tends to have a lot of foreign films and original
new plays, and those are much more to Emily’s taste. The options for eating out also differ
widely. Although Alton is smaller, it has a lot of good restaurants, though they do tend to be
rather expensive. Belville is the exact opposite. It has a small number of relatively inexpensive
restaurants.
To sum up, Alton and Belville are in many respects polar opposites3. Emily is finding it hard
to make up her mind. As soon as she decides that the advantages of Alton outweigh its
disadvantages4, then someone reminds her of the other side of the argument. Which of
these two strikingly different places do you think she should decide to move to?

1 don’t look at all like 3 extreme opposites
2 an enormous difference 4 are stronger than the disadvantages

B Finding a balance

Tom: How’s work going these days, Karl? Are you still at the bank?
Karl: No, I decided to do something fundamentally different

last year and retrained as a teacher.
Tom: Wow! That’s a bit of a change! Your salary as a teacher

surely doesn’t bear comparison with1 what you got as an
investment banker.
Karl: Yes, but in other respects teaching compares very
favourably with banking. I find it very rewarding – the
financial advantages of banking pale in comparison2.
Tom: So, what appeals to you so much about teaching?
Karl: Well, a teaching friend of mine once drew a comparison
between teaching and gardening. Teachers tend children
in much the same way as gardeners tend flowers. I love
gardening, so perhaps that’s why I love teaching so much!
Tom: But lots of people say it’s a very stressful job these days.
Karl: Perhaps. When I first started, I found it hard to strike the balance between being
firm and being friendly. I wanted to be my pupils’ friend but I soon learnt that you
can never totally bridge the gap between pupil and teacher.
Tom: Yes, I guess there’s a subtle distinction3 between being friendly and being weak.
Karl: That’s right. Anyway I think I’ve got the balance right now and I have no regrets at
all about my career change – despite the growing disparity4 between what I earn
now and the salaries of my ex-colleagues still at the bank.

1 can’t be compared with 3 also subtle difference
2 seem unimportant 4 increasing difference

114 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

55.1 Look at A. Complete the sentences.
55.2
1 There is a gap between the lives of the rich and the poor. The rich
person’s experience of life is entirely from that of someone without
money.
2 Once you have read both of the argument, you can draw your own
conclusion.
3 The two approaches are in many ways polar .
4 There is a world of between your way of life and mine. Your living
arrangements are, for a start, in marked to my own.
5 There is a distinction between lying and not telling the whole truth.
6 There was a variation between the exam marks of the stronger and the
weaker candidates.

Match the beginning of each sentence (1–8) with its ending (a–h).

1 Harula bears very little a difference between the cheeses from these
2 I find it hard to appreciate the subtle two regions.
3 In my essay I attempted to draw a
4 My own painting doesn’t bear b right balance between their studies and
5 Our results were the exact their social life.
6 Students may find it hard to strike the
7 The conference’s aim is to bridge the c opposite of what we had predicted.
8 There seems to be a growing d gap between artists and scientists.
e disparity between the rich and the poor.
f comparison between language learning and

riding a bike.
g resemblance to her sister.
h comparison with that of a trained artist.

55.3 Choose the correct collocation. More than one option may be possible. Use a dictionary
such as the Cambridge Online Dictionary to help you if necessary.
dictionary.cambridge.org 1 The two performers are entirely / highly / strikingly different.
2 Politicians talk a lot about how to join / bridge / cross the gap between rich and poor.
55.4 3 Tessa’s work is OK, but it doesn’t make / work / bear comparison with yours.
4 There is a deep / clear / subtle distinction between our points of view.
55.5 5 There is a land / world / planet of difference between our two lifestyles.
6 The two theories are fundamentally / strikingly / widely similar.
7 There is a(n) growing / rising / extending disparity between the haves and the have-nots.
8 It is important that you also hear the other edge / side / aspect of the argument.

Write sentences comparing life in the town with life in the country using the words in
brackets in a collocation from this unit.
1 (outweigh)
2 (favourably)
3 (fundamentally)
4 (pale)
5 (strikingly)
6 (differ)

Use a dictionary such as the Cambridge Online Dictionary to find two more collocations for
contrast, outweigh and gap.

dictionary.cambridge.org

English Collocations in Use Advanced 115

56 Making an effort

A Adjective + noun collocations

collocation example meaning

a determined Mike has been making a determined effort a very serious and thorough effort
effort to save money.

a concerted effort We made a concerted effort to meet all our a determined effort, usually made
deadlines this week. by several people working together

a joint effort I couldn’t have done it on my own – it was truly done by two or more people
a joint effort.

a team effort The manager congratulated the sales force on done by a group of people
their magnificent team effort.

a valiant effort Olivia has made a valiant effort to keep up with a brave effort in the face of great
work despite her illness. difficulty

strenuous efforts Strenuous efforts were made to prevent the attempts requiring a lot of effort
story from reaching the papers. or energy

give it one’s best Although Kerry didn’t succeed in breaking the make an attempt that is worthy of
shot record, he gave it his best shot. admiration

an abortive They made several abortive attempts to formal, failed attempts
attempt climb the mountain.

physical exertion I’m exhausted – I’m not used to so much hard physical effort
physical exertion!

a hard slog It was a hard slog getting my thesis finished informal, hard work
on time but I made it!

an uphill struggle It’ll be an uphill struggle persuading your informal, a lot of effort with no
manager to make the changes you want. certainty of success

B Careers advice

Note the collocations in this advertisement for training workshops.

CAREERS WORKSHOPS

Our workshops offer advice to anyone who is thinking about a new career. We can provide
a solution to any careers problem. Our training is based on the premise that successful
career choice requires effort. But if you devote energy to making the right decisions, if you
follow our advice and heed1 our warnings we guarantee you will reap the rewards2 of
your efforts. Those who ignore our advice tend to find their career is doomed to failure3.
So if you have a desperate desire to succeed, don’t just pin your hopes on4 good luck;
come to one of our workshops. Our methods have stood the test of time5. So come on, you
know it’s got to be worth a try. Sign up for one of our workshops and you won’t look back.

1 listen to 4 rely on
2 be rewarded 5 been proved successful over a long period of time
3 sure to fail

Common mistakes

You make an effort, NOT do an effort.

116 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

56.1 Answer these questions about collocations from A.
56.2 1 ‘Max is not used to so much physical exertion.’
What is Max not accustomed to – exercise or intellectual activity?
2 ‘Doing a degree while you’re working will be a hard slog but it’ll be worth it.’
Does the speaker think it will be straightforward for their friend to do a degree?
3 ‘You mustn’t forget that the project requires a joint effort.’
Is the project the responsibility of one person or more?
4 ‘It’s important that you give things your best shot.’
Is the speaker encouraging someone to try their hardest or to spend a lot of money?
5 ‘In 1905 a female revolutionary made an abortive attempt to kill the heir to the throne.’
Did the revolutionary assassinate the heir?
6 ‘You’ll have to make a team effort if you want to win the trophy!’
Is the speaker talking about cooperation or competition between the members of the team?

Complete this paragraph using words from the box in the appropriate form.
desire  determine  devote  doom  heed  ignore  
pin  reap  require  shot  strenuous  worth

Last year I decided to set up my own online company. I received
conflicting advice about doing so from different people. My friends
said it was (1) a try and encouraged me to make a
(2) effort to get it going. My parents said my plans
were (3) to failure. I wish I hadn’t
(4) my parents’ advice. I wouldn’t have been in
this mess now, had I (5) their warnings. I should
have known that such a vague business plan was risky, but I suppose
I had such a desperate (6) to succeed that I
thought I might get away with it. It’s not because I didn’t give it my
best (7) . I made (8) efforts
to get things going, (9) more or less all my energy
to getting it started. But in the end it just (10)
too much effort. I had been (11) my hopes on
getting enough publicity for my site but that just never happened. So,
unfortunately, it seems I will never (12) the rewards
of my efforts.

56.3 Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets.
1 It’ll be extremely difficult to get your work finished by the deadline. (uphill)
2 The appeal of Shakespeare’s plays has certainly lasted through the centuries. (test)
3 It would be sensible for you to do what he advises. (follow)
4 No parents can solve all their children’s problems. (provide)
5 After a few months you will begin to benefit from all your hard work. (reap)
6 Rob tried hard not to fall behind in the race but he just didn’t have enough stamina. (valiant)
7 Being very active physically certainly works up an appetite. (exertion)
8 A lawyer would probably be the best person to advise you. (offer)
9 I’m very much hoping I may win a scholarship to the college. (pinning)
10 Elisa has been trying very hard to do better this term. (concerted)

English Collocations in Use Advanced 117

57 Social English

All the collocations in this unit are typical of informal English.

A Conversations

Zita: I was looking for a birthday Ana: How do you feel about Nina going to
present for my nephew but work in Tasmania?
Alan: I didn’t have much luck.
Zita: You don’t have any bright Tania: Goodness, news travels fast! I didn’t
ideas, do you? realise anyone else knew about it
You could just give him yet. Well, it came as a bit of a shock
some money or a book when she first told me. But, to be
token perhaps? brutally honest, now I’ve had time to
That thought occurred think about it, I’m finding it a bit of a
to me, but then it looks welcome relief.
like I haven’t gone to any
trouble. Ana: I know the feeling4. She can be good
fun but she’s so sharp-tongued that I
have to say I’ll be glad to see the back
of 5 her.

Lisa: I really hate my sister’s new Paula: Are you up for6 going to Sam’s leaving
boyfriend, Greg. I went out party tonight? We’re planning to give
for a meal with them last him a really good send-off7.
night and he really had a
go at her for being late. He Adam: I really don’t think I can make it. I’m
really got to her1. just too tired. The simple reason is I’ve
been on the go8 all week and I haven’t
Pat: You’re being a bit hard had a decent night’s sleep for ages.
on him. I’m sure he didn’t I just can’t face the thought of going
mean any harm2. out tonight.

Lisa: I’m not so sure about that. Paula: Well, that’s a feeble excuse, if ever
Actually, I don’t think I can there was one.
bear the thought of ever
having to spend time with Adam: I know, and I feel terrible about it
him again. because I really like him. I might invite
him to my house for dinner next week
Pat: Well, it’s not you who is going instead. Would you like to come too?
out with him. I wouldn’t lose
any sleep3 over it. Paula: Sure, I’ll be up for that. Give me a ring9
or drop me an email with the details.
1 made her very upset
2 intend to do or say anything hurtful 6 would you like to
3 wouldn’t worry 7 do something special to say goodbye
4 I feel the same 8 been very busy
5 happy to see someone leave 9 phone me

B Common errors

The Cambridge Learner Corpus shows that candidates for advanced English exams often make
mistakes with these collocations:

example of error correct sentence
I hope I didn’t bring you any trouble. I hope I didn’t cause you any trouble / put you to any trouble.
I’m very looking forward to seeing you. I’m really / very much looking forward to seeing you.
I strongly hope you will apologise. I sincerely / very much hope you will apologise.
I’m very delighted by your invitation. I’m absolutely delighted by your invitation.
It’s a big pleasure to hear from you again. It’s a great pleasure to hear from you again.

118 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

57.1 Choose the correct collocation to complete each short dialogue.
57.2 1 Jan: Have you decided what to do for Sophie’s birthday?
57.3
Gus: No, I’m afraid I haven’t had any decent / bright / welcome ideas at all.
2 Liz: That wasn’t a very nice thing for her to say when we were only trying to get / make / give her

a good send-off.
Will: I know, but I’m sure she didn’t mean / lose / drop any harm.
3 Tom: Are you still on / up / in for a night out tonight?
Sue: No, I’m afraid not. I really need to get a big / simple / decent night’s sleep tonight.
4 Ros: Congratulations! I hear you’ve been promoted.
Ana: Wow! News goes / comes / travels fast!
5 Flo: I wish I hadn’t had / got / given a go at him for forgetting my birthday.
Ed: Well, I wouldn’t lose any luck / sleep / shock over it! He’s very thick-skinned.
6 Nell: I wish I’d spent less time going out with my friends and more time revising.
Tim: I mean / know / have the feeling. I made exactly the same mistake.

Correct the collocation errors in these sentences.
1 I’m very delighted with my wonderful present.
2 I’m absolutely shattered – I’ve been in the go all week.
3 It was a big pleasure to meet you.
4 I’m very looking forward to hearing from you soon.
5 It got as a bit of a shock when I heard that Ellen and Jim had split up.
6 To be strongly honest, I don’t think he’ll ever make a good teacher.
7 I didn’t get much luck when I was trying to find a new dress for the party.
8 I hope I didn’t bring your parents any trouble.
9 We strongly hope that you will visit us again soon.
10 The thought happened to me that he might be in some kind of trouble.
11 Please don’t come to any trouble on my account!
12 Drop me a ring when you want to be picked up from the station.

Complete the crossword. 1A
Across
1 I don’t want to go there again tomorrow. I can’t the 2

thought of it. 3E A
2 He got to me with his nasty comments.
3 Oddly enough, I found it a welcome to be living in a 4
5
much smaller flat.
4 Don’t forget to drop us an from time to time. 6E
5 I’m glad to be seeing the of my old boss.
6 The simple why I can’t stand him is that he was very E

rude to my best friend.
Down
1 You can’t be too tired to come out tonight. That’s a really

.

Over to you

If you are not often in an English-speaking situation, you may find it hard to learn
collocations that are typical of spoken English. English-language films can help. You can
download scripts from www.simplyscripts.com. Get the script of your favourite film and
note any good collocations from either the first or your favourite scene.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 119

58 Discussing issues

A Political interviews

Interviewer: Despite the fact that you gave repeated assurances that you would not raise taxes,
you seem to have broken your promise and raised five different taxes. Can you offer
an explanation for why this happened? Haven’t you betrayed the trust of the voters?

Politician: I reject that charge completely. We have kept our manifesto promise and not raised
the basic rate of income tax at all.

Interviewer: Yes, but you’ve raised indirect taxes instead, so, in effect, you’ve gone back on1 your
promise of no tax increases, have you not?

Politician: No. We made a commitment with regard to the basic rate of income tax. And I’m
happy to reaffirm2 that commitment now. The basic rate will remain unchanged …

These politicians! They can never give a straight3 answer! 1 n ot kept, or changed
They’re great at dodging4 the question. in some way

2 strongly state again
3 direct and honest
4 avoiding

B Discussing communication

Tutor: Right. I want to put the following question to you: do you think the channels of
communication between politicians and the people are adequate?

(The students are silent.)
Tutor: Well, let me frame1 the question differently. Do politicians genuinely communicate directly

with the public? Zoë, what do you think?
Zoë: Not really. It’s just soundbites on TV, isn’t it? They hardly ever meet ordinary people face to

face. They don’t mind fielding2 questions from journalists, they’re used to that, but that’s
not the same as confronting the issues directly with real people.
Tutor: Well, that’s a fair comment. But what about politicians who have websites and write
blogs? Are these better ways of establishing communication with people? Young people
don’t watch TV; they’re on the web all the time.
Paul: W ith all due respect3, I think you’re missing the point4, if you don’t mind me saying
so. The politicians can still keep their distance. They don’t have to face a grilling5 from
journalists or anyone if they just have a web page or a blog. In some ways it’s worse than
media interviews.
Tutor: Fine. I take your point6. But no politician can meet everyone face to face, so
communicating with as many people as possible using technology could be seen as more
genuinely democratic, couldn’t it?
I melda: Yes, but they become less accountable. If there’s a scandal, they just issue a denial, and
when did you last hear a politician give a full apology for getting things wrong? They enter
into a contract with the people and if they breach7 that contract they should be directly
accountable, and not just at election time.
Tutor: Right. Okay then. Get into groups and discuss ways in which politicians can be made more
directly accountable. Okay? About ten minutes.

1 formulate 4 misunderstanding the idea someone is expressing
2 dealing with 5 face a lot of tough questions
3 used before the speaker disagrees 6 accept that you have a serious opinion worth considering
7 break
with or criticises the person they
are addressing

120 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

58.1 Match words from each box to form collocations and use them in the appropriate
58.2 form to complete the sentences below.
58.3
reject break a promise someone’s trust
reaffirm dodge a question a commitment
offer betray a charge an explanation

1 He said he wouldn’t tell anyone of my plans but he his
and shared everything with his wife.
2 She was unable to any for what had happened.
3 I want to my to your scheme to help poorer families.
4 The minister the and denied he had misled the public.
5 Why do politicians always the and never give an
honest answer?
6 The Prime Minister has the of those who elected her.

Rewrite the underlined part of each sentence using the words in brackets in the
appropriate form in a collocation from the opposite page.

1 The school’s director reassured everyone over and over again that the school was not
going to close, despite reports in the press. (give  repeat)

2 Henry broke his promise to take part in our charity football match. (back)
3 Politicians rarely respond directly and honestly to a question. (straight)
4 Philip said very firmly that he would support us. (commit)
5 Thank you for doing what you promised to do. (keep)
6 The team manager gave quite skilful answers to a number of hostile questions from

reporters after the match. (field)
7 We need better ways of communicating with our customers. (channel)
8 I accept that you have a strong argument but it’s a very complex problem. (take)
9 He said he was 100 percent sorry for his behaviour. (give  full)

Read these remarks by different people, and then answer the questions.
S imon: I didn’t quite know the best way to ask him what I wanted to know.
Arlene: I took more days off than I was officially allowed and was fired from my job.
Alex: I had to answer almost an hour of really difficult questions at the interview.
Finn: I couldn’t sign an agreement with the builder because I didn’t get the bank loan.
Brona: I didn’t see what was important in what the lecturer was saying. Did you?

name

1  Who faced a grilling?
2  Who missed the point of something?
3  Who had problems framing a question?
4  Who breached a contract?
5  Who didn’t enter into a contract with someone?

58.4 Make six collocations from these words and write a sentence using each.

confront  due  establish comment  communication  denial
fair  issue  put issue  question  respect

English Collocations in Use Advanced 121

59 Negative situations and feelings

A Common problems and difficulties

I had a nasty shock when Janelle came home yesterday with a black eye.
Billy hit his sister in a fit of jealousy.
I feel sick with worry / I’m worried sick every time Rosie goes out on her motorbike.
Josh has come up with another harebrained scheme to make money. It will no doubt fail,
just like the last one. [crazy plan]
His teacher’s unkind remarks have shattered Tom’s confidence. [made him lose all his
confidence]
I took exception to my mother-in-law’s unfair comments. [objected to, was annoyed by]
The thought of having visitors to stay for a whole month fills me with
dread. [makes me feel very upset and worried about something in the future]
The little boy gave vent to his frustration by scribbling all over the wall.
[expressed his feelings of frustration; give vent to is used only about negative
feelings]
I tried to persuade her to go to university, but in the end I had to admit
defeat. [accept that I would not succeed]
If you bottle up your feelings, you’ll only increase your stress levels.
[don’t express your feelings; make yourself feel more stressed]

B International problems

There was an outpouring of grief1 this morning when the death of King
Alexander was announced. The country is still in a state of shock after his
wife, Queen Dorina, died suddenly last month and there is a feeling that the
King’s own inconsolable grief may have hastened his death2. There is now
a threat of civil war hanging over the country as much of the population
has an intense dislike of the late King’s eldest son.

1 widespread expression of sadness caused by someone’s death 2 made him die sooner

Many reporters are today criticising the President of the Northern Republic for a lapse of
judgement3 with regard to the disparaging remarks4 he made in a public speech yesterday
about the government of the Southern Republic. His comments have fuelled fears5 that the
Southern Republic may retaliate with more than just words. Sources close to the President
of the Southern Republic said last night that their country has long experience of suffering
rough treatment at the hands of the Northern Republic and that they had been left with little
alternative but to take decisive action to put an end to its president’s habit of hurling insults
at them. Taking a further sideswipe6 at the Southern Republic this morning in an interview with
morning television, the President of the Northern Republic said that it was a laughable idea that
a disorganised country like the Southern Republic could pose a threat of any real significance
to the likes of the Northern Republic. Many suspect, however, that the Northern Republic may
finally be in for a shock7.

3 poor judgement 6 making a critical remark about one thing
4 unpleasant comments while talking about something else
5 made people feel more afraid
7 get a nasty surprise
Common mistakes

We say absolutely furious, NOT very furious.

122 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

59.1 Complete the paragraph using words from A.

Jeremy is always full of (1)
schemes. I used to try to persuade him out of them
but I’ve long since (2) defeat. It
only increased my stress (3) and it
didn’t make any difference to his behaviour. Now, if
I (4) exception to any of his ideas,
I just (5) up my feelings and let
him get on with it. But, if things get really bad, I
give (6) to my frustration by going
to the gym and taking it out on the punch-bag.

59.2 Choose the correct collocation.

59.3 1 When asked about his own party’s transport policies, the candidate a sideswipe
59.4 at his opponent by mentioning the recent rail strikes.
A made B did C took D gave
dictionary.cambridge.org 2 The threat of redundancy is over everyone at the factory.
A hanging B holding C keeping D swinging
3 I wish he wouldn’t make such unkind and remarks.
A lapse B disparaging C inconsolable D rough
4 I’m afraid you may be for a bit of a shock.
A out B on C in D up
5 Henry never says anything sensible – his ideas are all quite .
A laughing B laughs C laughter D laughable
6 I hope you didn’t exception to any of my comments.
A find B take C make D put

Rewrite each sentence using the word in brackets.
1 Catching a bug while he was in hospital meant the old man died sooner than he would

otherwise have done. (hastened)
2 Cinderella was treated very badly by her wicked stepmother. (suffer)
3 A large number of the public expressed its grief when the film star died. (outpouring)
4 The accident has made people feel more afraid with regard to safety on the railways. (fuelled)
5 Because of their behaviour our only alternative is to boycott their goods. (left)
6 It was unwise of him to act as he did. (lapse)
7 I was extremely worried when Dad was having his operation. (sick)
8 It’s better to give vent to your feelings. (bottle)

Use a dictionary such as the Cambridge Online Dictionary to find two ways of completing
each of these collocations – one from the unit and one more.

1 a fit of at someone
2 to shatter
3 to fill someone with
4 to hurl
5 in a state of
6 pose a
7 a lapse of
8 an intense

English Collocations in Use Advanced 123

60 Positive situations and feelings

A Good feelings

example meaning

You should have a great sense of achievement at having feeling of having succeeded
reached the last unit of the book.

John has always had a very strong sense of purpose in his life. feeling of having a clear aim

Laura heaved a sigh of relief as she saw Ben step off the plane. happy feeling that something bad has
not happened

Tamara felt a shiver down her spine as she heard the orchestra feeling of excitement
tuning up. (or sometimes fear)

As I stood up to speak I felt a surge of adrenalin. a sudden feeling of nervousness
(or sometimes excitement)

I had a sudden burst of energy and decided to spring-clean the a feeling of being full of energy
whole flat.

We are all in a state of euphoria after our fantastic exam results. a feeling of excited happiness

I just loved my day at the beauty spa. It was sheer bliss. a feeling of calm happiness

B Interview with a film star

Interviewer: Claudia, how did you feel about winning the
Oscar?

Claudia Fay: I can truly say that my heart leapt when I heard
the announcement. Winning an Oscar has been
my lifelong ambition, so this was a dream
come true!

Interviewer: And how does your husband feel about it?
Claudia Fay: He’s always very supportive. He had high hopes

that I would win this time. And my son literally
jumped for joy. He’s dead keen1 to become an actor himself.
Interviewer: And how would you feel about that?
Claudia Fay: I’ve certainly found happiness in this profession. But it doesn’t always live
up to people’s expectations2, of course. It’s not as glamorous as it’s made
out to be.
Interviewer: Do you think it’d work to his advantage3 that both parents are in the
business?
Claudia Fay: Maybe. But it’s more important to have talent, of course. And a lot also
depends on pure luck, being in the right place at the right time, that sort
of thing. But I’d be cautiously optimistic about his chances of success, I
think.
Interviewer: Does the fact that your career is currently more successful than your
husband’s cause any tensions at home?
Claudia Fay: Not at all. My husband takes great delight in any success that I have. And
I have a profound admiration for his work. I hope one day he’ll get the
recognition he deserves. But even if he doesn’t, we both know that a great
many people derive a lot of pleasure from4 his films. He receives a lot of
quite moving fan mail in which people express their admiration for his work.
Interviewer: Thank you, Claudia. It was a great pleasure5 to talk to you.

1 (informal) very keen 4 (formal) find great enjoyment in
2 isn’t as good as expected 5 NOT a big pleasure
3 be of benefit to him

124 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Exercises

60.1 Correct the collocation errors in these sentences.
1 The whole country seems to be in a place of euphoria after winning the World Cup.
60.2 2 I heaved a breath of relief when I heard Joe had finally passed his driving test.
3 As the starting whistle blew, a jump of adrenalin helped me get off to a good start.
60.3 4 I still always feel a shake down my spine when I set off on a long journey.
5 It was a difficult climb but we had a marvellous emotion of achievement as we stood at
dictionary.cambridge.org the top.
6 Agreeing to do a bit of overtime could walk to your advantage, you know.
60.4 7 Dominik seems to have lost his idea of purpose.
8 As winter ends I always seem to feel a break of energy.
9 It was clean luck that the answer suddenly came to me in the middle of the exam.
10 I don’t think those engineers ever got the cognition they deserved.

Complete each sentence using a word from the opposite page.

1 Parents more pleasure from their children’s success than from their own.
2 I had hopes of this job but it hasn’t up to my expectations.
3 I hope that all your dreams will true.
4 In her article the critic considerable admiration for the poet’s early work.
5 My leapt when I saw that at last I had an email from Mark.
6 My grandmother great delight in creating a beautiful garden.
7 We are cautiously that Simona will get the job she’s applied for.
8 It was a pleasure to meet you. I hope our paths will cross again soon.
9 The children jumped for when they saw their aunt at the door.

Answer these questions using a dictionary if necessary.
1 What else can come true as well as a dream?
2 What can be lifelong as well as an ambition?
3 With what words, apart from keen, can dead be used as an informal adverb to mean extremely?
4 With what words, apart from bliss, can sheer be used as an adjective to mean complete?
5 What can be described as profound besides admiration?

Answer these questions in full sentences.
1 Where do you think people are more likely to find happiness – in a relationship or a career?
2 Would you say you had a profound admiration for anyone? If so, who and why?
3 What has happened to you that can be described as a matter of pure luck?
4 Do you derive more pleasure from music or from reading?
5 When did you last experience a sense of achievement?

Over to you

As this is the final unit in the book, take this opportunity now to look back at the units
you have covered and note your favourite collocations from each unit.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 125

Key

Unit 1

1.1 1 adhere to your principles 7 go on an economy drive
8 heavy rain
2 arouse someone’s interest 9 lead a seminar
3 blond hair 10 a lick of paint
4 come up with a suggestion 11 play the stock market
5 flatly contradict 12 words of wisdom
6 fundamentally different

1.2 The underlined words in these sentences can sometimes be changed in other ways but the answers

given reflect collocations in B.
1 mistakes
2 wider
3 gain
4 depart from
5 create

1.3 This is the most appropriate way to complete this exercise although some other collocations are also

possible, as indicated.
1 Our new family hotel is set in a secluded location and all the rooms have stylish furnishings and

breathtaking views over the surrounding countryside.
(Breathtaking could also go with location but secluded could not go with views.)
2 Visitors will enjoy the relaxing atmosphere in either of our spacious dining rooms, both serving

delicious food to residents and non-residents.
(Relaxing could also perhaps go with dining rooms but spacious could not go with atmosphere.)
3 We organise tours to picturesque surrounding villages where you’ll have the opportunity

to take some stunning photographs and sample the mouth-watering local cuisine.
(Stunning could go with villages but picturesque could not go with photographs.)

1.4 1 a Passengers must not alight from the bus while it is in motion. F

b Passengers must not get off the bus while it is moving. N
2 a Let’s grab a bite before we get down to work. I
b Let’s have something to eat before we start work. N
3 a SFTS has the right to bring the agreement to an end with three months’ notice. N
b SFTS reserves the right to terminate the agreement with three months’ notice. F
4 a She thinks her boyfriend is planning to pop the question tonight. I
b She thinks her boyfriend is planning to ask her to marry him tonight. N

1.5 The blond-haired boy said he had joined the English class to make some new friends. He also said

that he wanted to learn about collocations because it would be of great importance in helping him
to make fewer mistakes when writing in English.

Unit 2

2.1 1 a broad accent 7 a broad smile
8 a picturesque location
2 in broad agreement 9 adjourn a meeting
3 mitigating circumstances 10 a picturesque town
4 mitigating factors 11 adjourn a trial
5 auburn hair 12 inclement weather
6 deliriously happy

2.2 1 Melissa has quite a broad Scottish accent.

2 Inclement weather led to the cancellation of the President’s garden party.

126 English Collocations in Use Advanced

3 We were all deliriously happy when we heard we’d won the award.
4 Their new home was in a very picturesque location.
5 Because there were mitigating circumstances, the judge let him off with a warning.
6 I think we should adjourn the meeting till/until tomorrow.
7 She had a broad smile on her face when she arrived.
8 She has lovely auburn hair.
9 I think we’re in broad agreement as to what should be done.

2.3 Example answers:
stronger weaker
1 extremely hot / tired / easy / expensive
3

2 make / require / be an effort 3

3 cancel a class / a meeting / a match / an agreement 3
4 deliver a letter / a warning / a baby / goods 3
5 earn / make / scrape a living
3

6 in / have / call / hold a meeting 3

7 main / new / unique / best feature 3
8 engage with / the services of
3

9 bright light / sunshine / idea / future 3

2.4 Possible example sentences:

I felt deliriously happy when I passed all my exams.
I must make an effort to learn more collocations.
It’s difficult nowadays to make a living as a small shopkeeper.
We had to cancel the match because of the rain.

Follow-up
Ask your teacher to check your answers if you are not confident about them.

Unit 3

3.1 The collocations are: 5 standards slip
6 teeth chatter
1 disease spreads 7 wind howls
2 evidence suggests 8 withstand pressure
3 opportunity arises
4 smoke rises

3.2 1 evidence suggests 5 teeth; chattering
6 standards; slipped
2 wind; howling 7 opportunity; arises
3 withstand; pressure 8 disease; spreading
4 smoke rising

3.3 1 pass up

2 draw up
3 take it easy for a while
4 withstand
5 snippets
6 barrage
7 a stroke of
8 spate
9 put the past behind her

3.4 Author’s answers:

1 My husband, of course!
2 You could tell them to drive more carefully or you could say that you want to get out.
3 It depends on my mood. A gentle breeze is pleasant but a strong wind can be very exhilarating.
4 Sometimes I do. But then I have to remember to be careful not to leave my diary lying around.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 127

3.5 1 idle 3 mounting 5 foaming 7 plain
4 mounting 6 burst 8 miserably
2 vain

Unit 4

4.1 1 gift for languages 6 make a difference
7 underestimate the value of
2 take a boat 8 pending; result
3 grab a seat 9 newly qualified
4 turn my thoughts to
5 win the battle

4.2 to jump at the chance / pass up the chance / get the chance / stand a chance / be in with a chance

to face a challenge / to pose a challenge / a direct challenge / to rise to the challenge / a serious
challenge

4.3 The correct collocations are learn by heart and miss a chance.

4.4 Author’s answers:

1 Three milestones in my life that I have already passed include graduating from university, getting
my first job and getting married.

2 I am fully qualified as a teacher.
3 Typical sources of income are wages or salaries, income from investments, rental income and

business profits.
4 Possibly the toughest challenge I have ever faced was completing my doctoral thesis in time.
5 Someone providing simultaneous translation needs to be bilingual and to have excellent powers

of concentration.
6 Personal letters, photos and old diaries have sentimental value for me.

4.5 1 Make 6 avoid
7 Make
2 Get 8 possible
3 commit 9 made
4 made
5 do

Ideally you would tick all the ideas, as they are all good ways of improving your knowledge and use
of collocations.

Unit 5
5.1 1 I feel dead tired all the time. (I)

I feel very/extremely tired all the time.
2 We were all bored stupid by the poetry reading. (I)
We were all very/extremely/utterly bored by the poetry reading.
3 Currency exchange offices are located in the arrivals lounge. (F)
There are exchange offices in the arrival lounge.
4 She conducted a study of single-parent family units. (F)
She did a study of single-parent families.
5 She did her degree in London and found work there in 2015. (N)
6 I just got the latest software so my computer is bang up to date. (I)
I have just bought the latest software and so my computer is fully up to date.
7 Affix a passport-size photograph to the application form. (F)
Stick a passport photo on the application form.
8 Jake asked his tutor for an extension to complete his dissertation. (N)
You may find it useful to look up some of these expressions in a good dictionary to see what else
they collocate with. Computer technology and software, for example, can be bang up to date but a
car is unlikely to be described as such.

128 English Collocations in Use Advanced

5.2 1 This is breaking news here on Global TV Extra. J
2 These are the songs that are climbing the charts this week. E
3 There are tons of good reasons for not studying law. IC
4 Visitors must keep to the designated areas at all times. N
5 In any such case, customers shall forfeit the right to compensation. L
6 Fuel consumption may vary according to model and road conditions. T
7 I’ll give you a ring after dinner. IC
8 The minister will tour Asia in a bid to win support for the plan. J
9 Joss Engold stars in the latest blockbuster from Star Studios. E
10 A microchip is a miniaturised electronic circuit. T
11 Please restrict your use of the fitness machines to 20 minutes. N
12 A witness may be asked to testify for a second time. L

5.3 1 do 2 running 3 come 4 take
6 feel 7 write 8 clear
5 getting

5.4 1 presented   2 elevated   3 exhibiting   4 complained   5 inability

Unit 6

6.1 1 The presidential visit kept everyone on their toes.

2 Rosetta shouldered the blame for the failure of the project.
3 I don’t think Greg will ever win Rosie’s heart; it’s time he faced the facts.
4 The company had done so well that year that it agreed to foot the bill for a staff night out.
5 I’m glad I’m not heading this team.
6 Eva has an eye for a bargain.

6.2 1 A decrease in savings is likely to go hand in hand with inflation as people will have less money

available for saving.
2 If a relationship hits the rocks, it is the end of that relationship.
3 If you say someone is hopping mad, you mean that they are very angry.
4 No, not necessarily. If you run into difficulties or trouble, it just means that you encounter them or

have them. The verb run here doesn’t have any associations with speed.
5 You’d call a magazine dealing with celebrity gossip light reading. The collocation ‘a weighty tome’

would only be used to refer to a book that is long and has difficult content – unless it is being used
ironically, of course. So you might joke to a friend who is reading a celebrity magazine, ‘I can see
you’re reading your usual weighty tome!’
6 If you talk about facing the facts, the facts are likely to be unpleasant.

6.3 1a Jess got the job very easily. 1b Jess got the job – but we don’t know whether it
was easy for her to get it or not.
2a Rafael is in charge of the project team. 2b Rafael is supporting the project team / giving the
project team her support.
3a Dad very quickly drew the wrong 3b Dad drew the wrong conclusion – but we
conclusion. don’t know whether he did so quickly or not.
4a Jan left the room feeling happy and 4b Jan left the room feeling sad and despondent.
carefree.
5a I’ve got no chance of winning at all. 5b I’ve got a very small chance of winning.

6.4 1 driving   2 eye   3 burden   4 slim   5 weighty   6 heading

6.5 1 The metaphor here is based on the word run. An athlete literally runs in a race. But if he

metaphorically runs into trouble, that simply means that he has a problem. The problem might
not be connected with running in any way.
2 The metaphor is based on the connection between being fat and dieting. Diet pills are intended to
help people lose weight but if they have a fat chance of success, they are unlikely to succeed.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 129

3 The play on words is based on the idea of ballet dancers literally dancing on their toes and the
figurative meaning of the expression keep someone on their toes, which is to keep someone
energetic and concentrated.

4 The play on words connects the word foot, used here metaphorically to mean pay, with its literal
meaning of the part of the body where we wear shoes.

5 The play on words is based on the fact that hop is a verb closely associated with the movement of
rabbits (and frogs). The new legislation must be something that makes rabbit owners angry, e.g. a
tax on owning rabbits.

Unit 7 4 wildly inaccurate
7.1 blatantly obvious 5 thoroughly ashamed

downright rude 6 completely/totally/entirely dependent
spotlessly clean 7 thoroughly enjoyed
thoroughly ashamed 8 mildly surprised
wildly inaccurate 9 absolutely delighted
10 slightly different
7.2 1 blatantly obvious 6 awfully/terribly/extremely/incredibly lonely
7 totally/entirely/completely separate
2 downright rude 8 a highly educated
3 spotlessly clean 9 awfully/terribly/incredibly/extremely busy
10 terribly/incredibly/extremely expensive
7.3 1 wildly exaggerated

2 highly recommended
3 dead easy
4 loosely based on
5 faintly/mildly ridiculous

7.4 1 greatly appreciate

2 utterly ridiculous
3 terribly/extremely/incredibly difficult
4 awfully/extremely/incredibly sweet
5 deeply/slightly offensive

7.5 1 Correct

2 Incorrect. We say greatly appreciated.
3 Incorrect. We say strongly influenced.
4 Correct

Unit 8

8.1 1 Correct

2 Correct
3 The company director made a formal apology for his earlier comments.
4 The manager had to make a number of changes to office procedures in order to make all the

improvements he had planned for the company.
5 My sister made all the arrangements for the party.

8.2 1 habit 6 offer
7 discovery
2 room 8 attempt
3 enemies 9 stand
4 success 10 calculations
5 acquaintance

8.3 1 The Green Party plans to stage a major protest against the government’s new farming policy.

(more formal)
2 Tessa helped me to run up some lovely cushion covers for my new flat. (less formal)
3 I regret to inform you that several clients have lodged complaints about your conduct.

(more formal)

130 English Collocations in Use Advanced

4 You won’t create a good first impression if you arrive late for your interview. (more formal)
5 It won’t take me long to rustle up a meal for the children. (less formal)
6 Do you expect your business to turn in a profit this year? (less formal)

8.4 1 At the meeting the chairman made a rather interesting proposal.

2 I hope we can make an/our escape soon as I’m terribly tired.
3 I’m reading a fascinating book about how new words and phrases are coined to express new

social and technical needs.
4 We changed the layout of the hall to create a more relaxed atmosphere for the yoga class.
5 I made several attempts to phone the company at the weekend.
6 Kim made a very positive contribution to the discussion.
7 The service was poor but I wouldn’t go so far as to lodge a formal complaint.
8 I first made Roger’s acquaintance on a train.

Unit 9

9.1 1 speaking 6 told
7 say
2 told 8 talk
3 saying 9 speaking
4 talking
5 speak

9.2 1 notified

2 impart its wisdom
3 protested his innocence
4 professed ignorance
5 divulge her sources
6 pronounced him
7 declared Magda Karlson the winner of
8 disseminate information

9.3 1 Do you think I managed to get the message across in my speech?

2 Needless to say, he didn’t say a word to his parents about what had happened.
3 You can’t chew gum and speak properly at the same time.
4 He refused to give his reasons for turning down our invitation.
5 She was devastated when we broke the news to her.
6 Correct
7 I really like this documentary maker; she talks a lot of sense.
8 At the beginning of your dissertation you must state your goals clearly.

9.4 1 protestation(s) (The noun protest is not accurate here because it carries a meaning of opposition.

Protestation, however, means a declaration, which echoes the meaning of protest in the
collocation protest one’s innocence, meaning to declare one’s innocence.)
2 statement
3 dissemination
4 notification
5 declaration

9.5 Possible answers:

1 declare war on, declare independence, declare support for
2 impart bad news, impart facts, impart knowledge
3 divulge information, divulge secrets, divulge confidential details

English Collocations in Use Advanced 131

Unit 10

10.1 1 for  2 up with  3 up  4 to  5 up to  6 by  7 down  8 in with
10.2
10.3 1 didn’t live up to 5 abide by
10.4 2 come up with 6 adhere to
3 jot down 7 fit in with
10.5 4 take up 8 filed for

1 dip into them  2  adhere to them  3  keep it up  4  see them off

1 Everyone burst into laughter when she told the story.
2 We had a run along the beach to work up an appetite before lunch.
3 The police have said they intend to come down heavily on anyone carrying an offensive weapon

at the match.
4 Do you think you could free up some time to have a quick meeting this afternoon?
5 The police acted on a tip-off and managed to avert a possible disaster. (A rip-off is a colloquial

word meaning something that is not worth what you paid for it, e.g. That meal was an absolute
rip-off.)
6 I hope the party will live up to your expectations.
7 We sat on our hotel balcony, soaking up the atmosphere of the carnival.
8 Tanya quickly saw off her opponent in the semi-final and now goes on to the final.

Possible answers:
1 I’ll keep it up by watching English-language TV and reading news items on the Internet.
2 The last Bond film didn’t live up to my expectations.
3 I might be tempted to dip into my savings for a special holiday.
4 I’d try to come up with an alternative means of transport.
5 I’d do my best to fit in with the plans they had already made.
6 I sometimes find it very hard to adhere to my principles.

11.1 Unit 11

11.2 1 My husband and I do a job-share.
11.3 2 Circulate the report to all members of staff.
3 Jonas has been happier since he went part-time.
11.4 4 I hope it won’t be necessary to lay off many of our staff.
5 It’s not easy to make a living as an actor.
6 Meeting people is the best aspect of the job.
7 Marian was the last person to join the staff in our company.
8 Anna will be going on maternity leave next month.
9 Try to build up a good network of contacts.
10 We’ve had a ridiculous volume of work this month.

1 number  2 holds  3 offer  4 change  5 open  6 take up  7 right  8 take

1 The recession meant that the company had to lay off some workers/staff or lay some workers/
staff off.

2 Your family should really take priority over your work.
3 Nita soon moved up the ladder at work.
4 Harry hates his new boss so much that I think he’ll soon hand in his resignation.
5 Vic earns a good living as a freelance journalist.
6 I need to put together my CV before I apply for jobs.
7 My father always wanted to practise medicine in a rural community.

George makes a living as a sports reporter on a local newspaper but he is under considerable / a
lot of pressure at work at the moment. He’s had far too much work to do recently. He’s been put on
a fast-track scheme for promotion and they’re really pushing him. It’s so hard that he’s thinking of

132 English Collocations in Use Advanced

handing in his resignation and going freelance. It wouldn’t be easy but I’m sure he’d soon carve a
niche for himself as a sports journalist.

Unit 12

12.1 1 to pencil a meeting in 5 to fit the job description
2 a daunting task 6 wrongfully dismissed
12.2 3 to master new skills 7 to lose your livelihood
12.3 4 to take up references 8 professional misconduct
12.4
1 land 4 sweated
2 fitted (US English: fit) 5 were / would be
3 running 6 take

1 stay the course 4 relieved of his duties
2 get the sack 5 take industrial action / stage a strike
3 a living wage 6 narrow the list down

Author’s answers:
1 I suppose that copying materials and collating pages could be called menial work.
2 I certainly hope that it will.
3 As someone who does a lot of freelance work, I work a lot of unsocial hours. I get up early to work

at my computer, for example. But it is my own choice and not imposed on me by an employer, so I
don’t mind it. The plus side is that I can have a long lunch with a friend whenever I want to.
4 When I was working at a language school, there was quite a high turnover of staff as teachers
often used to go off and work in different countries.
5 When I was teaching in a language school, I often did overtime – taking students on excursions
and so on. It was paid.
6 No, I haven’t. I feel superstitious about it. I worry that if I pretend to be ill then I will soon become
ill in reality.
7 I haven’t taken industrial action but I think I might consider it if colleagues were being wrongly
treated.
8 Yes, it is. Getting a book ready for publication is very much a team effort.
9 As a freelancer I sometimes have a heavy workload and sometimes I don’t. It can be quite difficult
to spread my work in a balanced way.

Unit 13

13.1 1 Opinions are divided on the issue of single-sex schools and there are sound arguments on both
sides of the case.
13.2
13.3 2 I believe that the government will win another term in office but my girlfriend takes a different
view. (or … has a different opinion.)

3 I honestly/really think that you’d be making a serious mistake if you took that job.
4 I don’t believe it’s a foregone conclusion that the larger company will win the contract.
5 People are gradually becoming aware of the problem of climate change.
6 You should bear in mind that your visitors will be tired after their long flight.
7 I’ve got a rough idea of what I want to say in my essay but I haven’t planned it properly yet.
8 Increasing numbers of people today subscribe to the theory that small is beautiful.

1 laterally  2 error  3 grasped  4 pass  5 poor  6 firm

1 It’s unwise to jump to conclusions about people’s motives.
2 It’s common knowledge that Ellie has been taking money from the till.
3 I agreed to help him (though it was) against my better judgement.
4 I’m afraid your decisions show a lack of judgement.
5 We have to decide when to have the party. Can you give it some thought?
6 I think you are judging him too harshly. Remember he’s only 18.
7 Surprisingly, there’s a widespread belief that left-handed people are more intelligent.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 133

13.4 1 a fertile land / egg / soil / environment / mind / area
2 to fuel resentment / a feeling of … / a heating system / a vehicle (the verb is used mainly in the

passive when referring to vehicles) / a debate / desire / gossip
3 to wrestle with a decision / your conscience (Note that this verb collocates with only a small

number of words.)
4 a nagging fear / voice / pain / sense / feeling

Unit 14

14.1 1 True
14.2 2 False. A company wants to meet its targets.
14.3 3 True
4 True
14.4 5 False. A company has failed if it has to call in the receivers.
6 False. A company will feel more secure with wider profit margins.

1 receivers 5 line
2 points 6 production
3 books 7 dividends
4 sense 8 profits

1 The company is pleased to report a substantial increase in profits over the last quarter.
2 The new health and safety committee is to be chaired by a retired doctor.
3 There is increasingly fierce competition between airline companies. (Competition can also be

described as intense or stiff.)
4 The company’s exports to Japan saw/experienced/showed considerable growth over the last

decade.
5 The sales figures for March show a slight decrease on those for February.
6 Our sales in the domestic market are certain to see/experience/show a rise next year.
7 Last year sales were three times greater in Europe than in Australia.
8 We feel that this proposal makes considerable business sense. (Notice that although you do

business, something makes business sense.)
9 Although we need to reduce our costs, it’s important we maintain the quality that our reputation

is built on.
10 Business leaders hope new government policies will stimulate growth (or be a stimulus to

growth).

1 The Managing Director of a company might call an emergency meeting when there is some kind
of crisis affecting the company – a strike, for example, or a major increase in the cost of raw
materials or fuel.

2 A sports car company is likely to have young people in their twenties as their target market.

15.1 Unit 15
15.2
marketing campaign
free airtime
product placement
income bracket
consumer behaviour
brand identity
1 I enjoyed the film, but there was a lot of product placement in it. All the top-brand cars, phones,

watches and so on. It was a bit distracting.
2 We want to build a really strong brand identity as a trustworthy company.
3 One of the aims of our research was to identify certain patterns of consumer behaviour:

specifically where they bought our products and how much they spent.
4 This is a luxury brand, clearly aimed at consumers in the higher income bracket.

134 English Collocations in Use Advanced

15.3 5 Our latest marketing campaign was very successful – sales increased by over 20%!
15.4 6 The company were really lucky – there was a whole news item on their latest innovation, so they
15.5
got a lot of free airtime as a result.
1 customer
other common collocations: experience, retention, focus, orientation
2 market
other common collocations: leader, survey, research
3 brand
other common collocations: name, flagship, generic
4 product
other common collocations: life cycle, build
1 It’s been 10 years since Kate first set up our in-house marketing team, and now we employ

13 marketers working in 3 countries.
2 We want to increase brand awareness among young professionals.
3 Our last campaign went viral and was shared on social media all over the world.
4 One way to measure customer satisfaction is to put a questionnaire on your website and ask

questions about how happy people are with your service.
5 We got a lot of press coverage when we gave out free energy monitors as part of last year’s

‘Energy Week’.
6 The target audience for our new sportswear range is active parents.
1 Veronique  2 Bruno  3 Clare  4 Freddy  5 Chloe  6 Thierry

Unit 16

16.1 1 Have you ever made a complaint to the management about the food in a restaurant?
2 I hate going shopping on Saturdays as the town is so crowded then.
16.2 3 If you want your shopping delivered, you can place your order with us online or by phone.
16.3 4 We carried out / did a large-scale customer survey before developing our new product range.
16.4 5 Online shopping is proving increasingly popular.
6 I was surprised by the poor quality of the acting in that film we saw last night.

1 value 2 satisfied 3 healthy 4 prompt 5 hold
6 fuss 7 handled 8 conform 9 elsewhere 10 come

1 regular 5 providing
2 refund 6 top
3 take 7 grounds
4 custom

1P U 2R P O S E
E
3G R O U N D S
U

4F U L L
A

5S T A N D A R D
I

6H O N O U R
N

7D I S C O U N T

English Collocations in Use Advanced 135

Unit 17

17.1 1 You graduate from university.
17.2 2 mature students
3 (prestigious) seats of learning
17.3 4 distinguished scholars or leading authorities (in their fields)
17.4 5 gifted children
17.5 6 straight-A students

1 We were all very impressed by the student’s mental agility.
2 My grandmother is very intelligent but she’s had little formal education.
3 I’ve never found it easy to learn scientific formulae by heart.
4 I’d love to study medicine there but it’s very hard to get a place.
5 For the first-year Shakespeare exam we had to read six set texts.
6 I am so proud of you for managing to get full marks.
7 Your work is not too bad but there is certainly still room for improvement.
8 Your little girl has shown herself to be a very quick learner.
9 The test has been designed to enable pupils to demonstrate their ability.
10 I hope to study there but may not be able to meet the entry requirements.

1 truant 4 natural 7 attend
2 wanders 5 marked 8 requirements
3 shows 6 win 9 enrol

Author’s answers:
1 English, maths and science.
2 Yes. I once signed up for a Spanish evening class but only went to two lessons.
3 I’d love to read History of Art.
4 The universities of Oxford and Cambridge.
5 The academic year begins in September and ends in July.
6 Different universities and departments have different entry requirements and you have to fulfil

whatever their specific requirements are.

Possible answers:
1 power  2 club  3 voice  4 work record

Unit 18

18.1 1 undertake 4 provided 7 covers
18.2 2 presented 5 indicates 8 tackles
3 reviews 6 test 9 puts
18.3
1 The research ethics are described in the university’s research manual.
2 You need to make an in-depth critique of the arguments.
3 You need to do background reading.
4 You do the analysis in order to find out whether the data support your hypothesis. (Remember: try

to avoid saying prove a hypothesis.)
5 All the interviewees were people who had first-hand knowledge of the situation.
6 It is impossible to give a full explanation of the decline of agriculture in the 1960s.

Order of events:
1 Select a topic.
2 Form a working hypothesis.
3 Make the case for studying the topic in the introduction.
4 Write a critical analysis of previous studies.
5 Lay out your results in tables and diagrams.
6 Submit your report.

136 English Collocations in Use Advanced

18.4 1 The thrust of Torsten’s argument is that public transport can never replace the private car.
2 Economists formulated a new theory of inflation in the late 1980s.
3 It is important that we should confront the issue of climate change immediately.
4 In her essay, she put forward a vigorous defence of the European Union’s constitution.
5 I shall not attempt to give an exhaustive account of population growth in this essay.
6 The article does not back up its conclusions with enough convincing evidence.

Unit 19

19.1 1 surprise  2 throw  3 dined  4 appearance  5 sprang  6 special  7 night
19.2
19.3 1 made 4 calls 7 social
2 flying 5 find 8 pay
19.4 3 stick to 6 quality 9 played

1 We could go clubbing later. (more informal)
2 The restaurant has a convivial atmosphere. (more formal)
3 Rio de Janeiro played host to the Olympics in 2016. (more formal)
4 Her life is a social whirl. (more formal)
5 I have to attend a formal function on Thursday. (more formal)
6 We invite you to join the festivities at the opening of the Arts Festival. (more formal)
7 Grapsley Park is the perfect venue for an outdoor concert. (more formal)

Author’s answers:
1 eating out
2 plain food, as long as it’s cooked properly
3 a barbecue with friends
4 I like both, but giving a dinner party can be a lot of work.
5 I much prefer playing the host.
6 definitely a whirlwind visit! Guests are always best when they don’t stay long!

Unit 20

20.1 1 It can be hard to carry on a serious conversation in a noisy room.
2 He finds it very difficult to open his heart and talk about his feelings to anyone.
20.2 3 I don’t like discussing things with people who always want to win every argument.
20.3 4 My mother always used to tell me not to spread unkind rumours.
20.4 5 I usually find it better not to get drawn into an argument with Paul.
6 We had a very enjoyable time just sitting in the park enjoying some idle chatter.
7 I managed to resist all his attempts to engage me in conversation.
8 I’ve never talked to him much – we’ve done no more than exchange pleasantries.

1 lost 5 bring
2 broached 6 drop
3 take 7 tough
4 strong 8 hold

1 juicy gossip 5 four-letter word
2 broad generalisations 6 tough question
3 exchange news 7 rash promise
4 take seriously 8 opening gambit

1 Please drop the subject immediately.
2 Sam has a habit of making empty promises.
3 You must take the lab’s safety regulations seriously.
4 It’s better not to overstate your case.
5 Could we please change the subject?
6 Did you hear the rumours (that were) flying around about your boss last year?

English Collocations in Use Advanced 137

7 There is rather a lot of bad/foul/strong language in the play. (Foul is the strongest of these
alternatives.)

8 Such broad generalisations tend to be rather meaningless.
9 His opening gambit took me by surprise.
10 The children bombarded me with questions about my trip.

21.1 Unit 21
21.2
21.3 1 I
21.4 2 E
3 B
4 F. Note the collocation to heal a rift, meaning that a harmonious relationship has been

re-established following a break due to a serious disagreement.
5 C
6 A. Note that the expression to go to the polls is often used, particularly in newspapers, to mean

take part in an election.
7 G
8 D
1 delivered; speech
2 broker; agreement
3 impose; censorship
4 prime-time television
5 held; conference
6 act; go-between
7 reach agreement
1 The President has finally bowed to public pressure to hold a referendum.
2 Early this morning the Eco-democratic Party proclaimed victory in the election. (announced its

victory would also be possible)
3 The police detective discovered the clue which led to the recovery of the stolen jewels.
4 The police will not call off the search until the child has been found.
5 We were on holiday when the recent political troubles broke out.
6 The police are carrying out a nationwide search (or a countrywide search) for the missing boy.
7 The two parties will try to negotiate a settlement today.
8 Today thousands of students held a demonstration / held demonstrations against the increase

in fees.
1 In the first sentence, the outcome of the rally will show whether the army is strong or not. In the

second sentence, the rally is proof of the army’s strength.
2 The clues in the first sentence are more important than those in the second.
3 The reward for the cat in the second sentence is large.
4 The verb deliver suggests either a more formal situation for the speech itself or a more formal

context for reporting about the speech than is suggested by make.
5 In the first sentence, the countries are going to talk for the first time. In the second sentence they

have made an agreement.
Follow-up
Possible collocations:
to hold a meeting / a conversation / an election
to broker a deal / a ceasefire
to reach / come to (an) agreement
a sizeable / narrow / large / vast majority

138 English Collocations in Use Advanced

Unit 22

22.1 1 The committee, with one dissenting voice, voted to take a firm stance on the issue.
2 It was only a throwaway comment but it has excited a lot of speculation.
22.2 3 As new evidence emerges of government involvement in the scandal, people are beginning to
22.3
question the Prime Minister’s public pronouncements on the affair.
4 The prince refused point-blank to provide a detailed account of his actions that night.
5 The minister was accused of misleading the electorate when he said that very few migrant

workers had been given leave to stay in the country.

1 disorderly 3 explanation 5 flatly 7 disclosures
2 clarify 4 statement 6 permission 8 re-opened

1 vociferous opponent 6  took issue
2 gauge (public/people’s) reaction 7  declined to comment
3 passionate entreaty 8  critically ill
4 regular updates 9  abject apology
5 air their grievances

23.1 Unit 23

23.2 1 This year’s National Day festival celebrates 50 years of independence.
2 In this region we have a rich tradition of poetry, music and dance.
23.3 3 A group of children performed a traditional dance from the region.
23.4 4 This year’s festival represents a break with tradition, as it will be held in May.
5 The tradition of carol singing dates back hundreds of years.
6 The people are determined to uphold the tradition, despite opposition.
7 The town holds its annual festival in spring.
8 Our village has a proud tradition of giving food to older villagers every New Year.
1 All the men wore traditional dress consisting of green jackets and white trousers.
2 The festival marks the beginning of the Celtic summer.
3 The festival is part of the region’s cultural heritage.
4 Hundreds of people, locals and tourists, join in the festivities.
5 The annual ‘Day of the Horse’ falls on 30 March this year.
6 Everyone in the village was in festive mood as the annual celebrations began.
7 The average age at which couples tie the knot is rising.
8 This region has a rich tradition of folk singing and dancing.
9 Getting joined in matrimony is a significant reason for celebration.
10 The area is famous for observing a number of age-old/long-standing traditions.
1 Erik   2 Evan   3 Alicia   4 Monica   5 Brona
1 (b) married
2 wedded bliss
3 the knot
4 Toast used uncountably means bread made brown and crisp by heating it. Making a toast

(countable) means offering an expression of good wishes or respect for someone which involves
holding up and then drinking from a glass after a short speech.
5 pre-wedding nerves (one can also say pre-wedding jitters)
6 be joined in matrimony
7 to make a toast / to toast someone
8 informal

English Collocations in Use Advanced 139

Unit 24

24.1 1 These vitamins have been clinically proven to protect the body from winter viruses.
24.2 2 Our tasty snacks cost only 99p.
3 We manage a number of exclusive spas in Paris and New York.
24.3 4 Our new shampoo will subtly bring out the natural highlights in your hair.
24.4 5 Our lipsticks come in a range of long-lasting colours.
6 We guarantee you will be impressed by the unrivalled service provided by all our hotels.
7 Our new concealer will make the fine lines around your eyes disappear.
1 I don’t believe those ads that claim their creams have anti-aging properties.
2 While working in France, Amy launched her new summer collection.
3 Why not have a bowl of soup or a banana if you’re feeling a bit peckish.
4 We guarantee that you will see instant results with our luxury hand cream.
5 You should use this shampoo to revive your sun-damaged hair.
6 Sometimes I wish it were really possible to banish wrinkles.
7 This five-star hotel offers its guests unrivalled service.
8 The designer’s new range of beautiful shoes has just hit the high street.
9 At the airport she bought herself a couple of glossy magazines.
10 This part of town is famous for its classy hotels and exclusive salons.

1 range 3 back 5 set 7 labels 9 popular
2 hit 4 launched 6 high 8 season’s 10 victim

Possible answers
1 luxury cream / restaurant / hotel / travel
2 excruciatingly uncomfortable / painful / embarrassing / boring / funny
3 flawless complexion / performance / design
4 unrivalled service / collection / style
5 launch a new collection / an attack / a new service
6 exclusive salon / offer / story / club

Unit 25

25.1 1 d 2 e 3 a 4 c 5 f 6 b
25.2
1 The construction work in the city centre has brought traffic to a standstill and cars have been
25.3 queuing on the ring road for several kilometres.

2 The town now has three park-and-ride schemes which will help keep cars out of the centre.
3 Environmental campaigners are arguing that widening the motorway will do nothing to alleviate

bottlenecks but will only increase the volume of traffic.
4 Rail passengers at all the main stations were protesting today at fare rises of more than 2.3%.
5 The new government has promised to invest in infrastructure projects to improve road and rail

links around the country.
6 The Nato summit will mean road closures around the area for security reasons.

1R E P L A 2C E M E N T

O

3E N G I N E E R I N 4G

GR

5P A C K E D I

SD

6T A I L B A C K L

IO

7C O M M U T E R C

NK

140 English Collocations in Use Advanced

25.4 1 I hate travelling during rush hour as it’s always so crowded.
2 Since the high-speed train link to the capital arrived in 2015, this has become a popular

commuter town.
3 Commuters are furious as they are facing a hike in fares for the second time this year.
4 It is hoped that the new tunnel will ease congestion by taking cars out of the centre.
5 Services on West Express Trains are running late this morning due to high winds and flooding.

26.1 Unit 26
26.2
26.3 1 beaten; sights  2 unexplored  3 an intrepid  4 trekking; arduous  5 sense

26.4 1 feet 4 low-cost 7 peeled 10 hopelessly
2 unexplored 5 standby 8 face 11 party
3 stretch 6 epic 9 conditions 12 has

1 The first leg of the journey was straightforward.
2 My budget didn’t stretch to travelling first class / to first-class travel.
3 Arriving at our base camp boosted our spirits. / Our spirits were boosted when we arrived at our

base camp. / On arrival at our base camp our spirits were boosted.
4 There will be sunny spells in most areas today.
5 We had a stopover in Singapore on our way to Australia.
6 Jack has always had a thirst for adventure.
7 Grandmother’s spirits are high today.
8 The movement of the ship lulled me to sleep.

Possible collocations:
1 arduous task / climb
2 a mountain / a rocky / revert to wilderness
3 uncharted waters / seas / territory

Unit 27

27.1 1 summon up  2 extreme  3 took  4 acquire  5 jump  6 hang
27.2
27.3 1 push 6 card
2 whale; keep 7 kick
27.4 3 latest; pitch 8 missed; awarded
4 stands; victory 9 challenge
5 shape

1 I’d jump at the chance to meet Usain Bolt, wouldn’t you?
2 The spectators stood and clapped as the teams took the field.
3 You should only attempt this climb if you are pretty fit.
4 The crowd went wild at the end of the match.
5 We had a whale of a time in Australia.
6 I decided to take up the challenge and start my own business / of starting my own business.
7 The little boy soon got the hang of riding his bike without stabilisers.
8 The team captain felt dreadful when he scored an own goal.
1 latest  2 convincing  3 performance  4 defence  5 awarded

Unit 28

28.1 1 unveil a plan 5 drum up a lot of support
28.2 2 stick to a schedule 6 cover every eventuality
3 make something a reality
4 leave it to someone’s discretion

1 on  2 up  3 plan  4 exercise  5 long-term  6 option

English Collocations in Use Advanced 141

28.3 1 consideration 4 factor
28.4 2 groundwork; launch 5 suggestion
3 outright 6 change
28.5
1 Final preparations for the music festival are now underway.
2 I was very upset when they rejected my suggestions out of hand.
3 The company came up with the idea of encouraging customers to recycle packaging.
4 I don’t think you will find it easy to put your ideas into practice.
5 He declared his outright opposition to the plan.
6 Constructive criticism is always welcome, but negative criticism is not.

3P 1E C 4T 2R T
L RA O I CE
5M A Y
N G E A
KE D 6A C

R H

Unit 29

29.1 1 star-studded 3 originality 5 role 7 series 9 spectacularly
29.2 2 lasting 4 display 6 accomplished 8 experiment 10 fire
29.3
The options that are NOT possible are:
29.4 1 high 5 highly
2 starring 6 consummate
3 spectacularly 7 wrote
4 burst

1 professional
2 up
3 reviews
4 events
5 disaster
6 experiment
7 attention
8 suspense

an unmitigated disaster
a dismal failure

Unit 30

30.1 1 satisfy requirements 5 pass a new law
30.2 2 have an obligation 6 bring in regulations
3 arrive at an agreement 7 adhere to standards
4 carry out a risk assessment 8 exercise authority
Other quite common collocations using these words are:
meet requirements
satisfy conditions

1 flout
2 adhere
3 sought; granted
4 comply with the law
5 satisfy; being in breach of

142 English Collocations in Use Advanced

30.3 1 positions  2 cut through  3 introduce  4 tightening  5 faceless  6 approve
30.4
1R U L E S
I
2S A T I S F Y
K
3D A N G E R
S
S
4E X E R C I S E
S
5E S S E N T I A L
M
6B R E A C H
N
7O B T A I N E D

30.5 Possible answers: 5 pass a comment
1 satisfy someone’s desires 6 exercise discretion
2 have a duty 7 bring in a law
3 arrive at a decision 8 adhere to the rules
4 carry out an experiment

Unit 31

31.1 1 Tomas  2 Sylvia  3 Ulla  4 Marcos  5 Gerard
31.2
31.3 1 offshore 5 dire (we could also say disastrous
2 run (we also say run out) or devastating)
31.4 3 vital
4 eco-friendly 6 offset

1 Food miles
2 Renewable energy
3 widespread flooding
4 irreversible climate change
5 find a solution to
6 our carbon footprint
7 Offshore wind farms
8 the disposal of household waste

1 Temperatures soared during the summer months and reached a record high.
2 We must change our ways before it is too late.
3 They now have a solar heating system in their house; it’s very economical.
4 The desert experiences searing heat during the day but is cold at night. (Note: we say searing

heat or soaring temperatures, but we do NOT say searing temperatures or
soaring heat.)
5 The weather patterns have changed in recent years: winters are milder, summers are hotter.
6 He has one of those hybrid cars which alternates between petrol and battery power.
7 The government must introduce green taxes so people who damage the environment
pay more.
8 Vehicle emissions are the main source of pollution in big cities.
9 We need to find alternative energy sources for private homes.

English Collocations in Use Advanced 143

Unit 32

32.1 1 the country; the city
32.2 2 the city; the country
3 the country; the city
32.3 4 the country; the city
32.4 5 the city; the country
32.5
32.6 1 The first sentence refers to cars and other traffic on the roads, whereas the second sentence refers
to shoppers and other pedestrians on the pavements.
32.7
2 The first sentence means that the speaker lives in the centre of town, whereas the second
sentence is talking about other people who live in quiet, residential and well-off suburbs.

3 The first sentence means that he lives in a very quiet, traditional place where nothing much
happens, whereas the second sentence means that she lives in a very busy, active city centre.

4 The first sentence means the speaker loves living in the city, whereas in the second one, the
speaker loves living in the country.

city life, urban living
long opening hours, open all hours
rustic charm, rural idyll
in the back of beyond, in the middle of nowhere

1 quiet backwater
2 in the back of beyond / in the middle of nowhere
3 urban regeneration
4 a tree-planting scheme
5 a desirable place to live
6 residential dwellings

1 derelict buildings 4 urban regeneration
2 busy roads / congested roads 5 the rural idyll
3 a bustling city centre 6 long opening hours / open all hours

Possible answers:
1 flock to the countryside / unspoilt countryside / rolling countryside / surrounding countryside /

protect the countryside
2 a rural landscape / a barren landscape / dominate the landscape / a watercolour landscape / a

landscape painter / a rugged landscape / an urban landscape
3 a fishing village / a mountain village / outlying villages / surrounding villages / a picturesque

village / the global village / a coastal village / a remote village / a neighbouring village

Author’s answers:
1 Sports programmes bore me rigid.
2 I think I might consider life in a remote country village in Britain to be a rural idyll for a couple of

weeks but then I would probably miss the facilities of a big town.
3 No, the public transport system where I live is not reliable at all. The buses are very infrequent

and they often arrive late or not at all.
4 No, I can’t think of any derelict buildings where I live. Land with derelict buildings on it tends to be

quickly redeveloped.
5 There are some small shops, a post box, a school and a doctor’s surgery.

Unit 33

33.1 1 make a payment
2 supplement my income
3 spend a fortune
4 borrow heavily
5 stay afloat

144 English Collocations in Use Advanced

33.2 to arrange an overdraft to get into debt
33.3 a bad debt a hefty debt/overdraft
to be in debt the national debt
33.4 to clear a debt to pay off a debt / an overdraft
33.5 deep in debt debt-ridden
overdraft facility to run up a debt / an overdraft
to get an overdraft an unauthorised overdraft

Other possible collocations:
to repay a debt / to owe a debt (of gratitude) / a debt mounts up
an overdraft limit / to reduce your overdraft / a sizeable overdraft

1 The firm has huge debts and has had to borrow $10 million. The new chief executive has
introduced cost-cutting measures.

2 When I left university I had no outstanding debts, unlike most of my friends, who owed
thousands of pounds.

3 The manager falsified company records and stole money from her employer.
4 I had no source of income, so I had to get a job, and quickly.
5 We put down a deposit on a new car last week.
6 She defaulted on her loan repayment and had to sell her business.
7 Many people don’t trust online banking because they are afraid of identity theft.
8 If we don’t cut down on luxuries, we’re going to find ourselves in serious debt.
9 There are special offers for students who open a current account at the university bank.
10 You will pay a lot of interest if you go over your agreed credit limit.

1 The metaphor is that of a boat which must keep/stay afloat (otherwise it will sink under water).
2 You’re expected to pay it back.
3 (c). To write off a loan would mean to accept that it will never be paid.
4 (a)
5 credit-card fraud

1 falsifying  2 fraudulent  3 payment  4 theft  5 interest-free

34.1 Unit 34
34.2
34.3 1 The government is finding it very difficult to curb inflation.
2 The country is suffering because of the current economic climate.
3 Although heavy industry is in decline, service industries are thriving.
4 The CEO is anxious to safeguard his company’s interests.
5 New machinery has enabled the factory to increase its output.
6 The tax authorities plan to tackle the issue of undeclared earnings.
7 The budget plan explains how we intend to allocate our various resources.
8 We must tackle and solve the problems caused by social exclusion.

Own guidance Previous rival government
build on success leave inflation unchecked
extend opportunity levy heavy taxes
meet with success poor value for money
safely steer the economy rampant inflation
steady growth rising unemployment
thriving industry thriving black economy
uninterrupted growth

1 long 6 plummeting
2 extend 7 public
3 undeclared 8 push up
4 rising 9 raise
5 stimulating 10 introduce

English Collocations in Use Advanced 145

34.4 1 public; private 5 raising; pushed up; plummet
2 undeclared 6 extend; stimulate
3 long; short 7 stunt
4 Falling 8 introduce

Unit 35

35.1 1 address   2 provide   3 broke down   4 break   5 made   6 incite
35.2
35.3 1 for human habitation 4 antisocial behaviour
2 sanitary conditions 5 public disorder
35.4 3 underage drinking 6 for good / for change

1 Poor people often have to claim benefits in order to survive financially.
2 The city council introduced a neighbourhood watch scheme.
3 The government took some draconian measures to prevent public disorder.
4 All governments need to address the issues of global poverty and disease.
5 The authorities had to provide shelter and food to the earthquake victims.
6 As the discontent grew, riots erupted in all the major cities.

1 The violence threatened the social fabric.
2 The minister said it was time for a fresh drive to cut crime.
3 Customs officials found some illegal substances in the passenger’s luggage.
4 The run-down areas of the city are often dangerous at night.
5 We hope our new organisation will be a force for political change.
6 He proposed a novel solution to address the issue of social inequality.
7 Dysfunctional families are a difficult problem for social workers.
8 The union representative made a plea for the workers to stand firm.
9 There were scenes of public disorder on the streets last night.
10 It is very difficult for young people to find affordable housing.

Unit 36

36.1 1 If you switch off your computer without shutting it down properly, you may lose data.
2 I didn’t expect everything to run smoothly in my new job but I didn’t imagine it would be quite
36.2
36.3 so difficult as it was.
3 Alex had some technical problems installing his new computer equipment.
4 The company is famous for its cutting-edge design.
5 If they’d serviced their machines regularly, they wouldn’t have had to halt production.
6 Vic dreams of making a discovery that would help to push back the frontiers of science.
7 Scientists usually publish their findings in academic journals.
8 There was a power cut this morning. The power went off at ten and it wasn’t restored till

midday.
9 Noah loves pure research but his brother is more interested in the application of research to

practical projects and in harnessing new technology for commercial ends.
10 They carried out research over a ten-year period and finally published their findings this month.

1 She’s swiping a card. 3 He’s using satnav.
2 He’s entering his PIN. 4 She’s switching TV channels by remote control.

1 high-definition TV (HD TV), flat screen TV and remote controls
2 The systems might crash.
3 No, online banking is now available at most banks.
4 a Wi-Fi hotspot
5 switch channels
6 download a new app
7 They suffer from wear and tear.

146 English Collocations in Use Advanced